Jesus Died for You and Me

 

Jesus Died for You and Me - By Pastor Mike Taylor -

https://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2020/06/jesus-died-for-you-and-for-me.html

  

1 "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities

12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."(Isaiah 53:1-12)

 

I post prophecy of the coming Tribulation and write at the end of my messages, John 3:16-18, but I want to dive into that GOD IS LOVE. It fully explains why Jesus died.

 

During the beginning of the Lord's Supper services to remember the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, this passage is always read. It gives a biblical description of the supreme sacrifice that Jesus imparted on our behalf. Of all the prophecies of the Bible concerning the birth, life and death of Jesus (and there are over 300 of them) the last two days of His life and His death, captured the majority. No prophecy is more important than the death and resurrection of our Lord.

 

We speak of prophesy on this website. We look backward from the time of Jesus birth and His life, up including His death and just as important, His resurrection. All prophecy is about Jesus. To coin a phrase "It's all about Him". But do we even realize the immense sacrifice and the enormous amount of pain and suffering that Jesus endured for one reason, and one reason only? The reason for his death was for US...for all mankind. Jesus became sin to Him who knew no sin. 2nd Corinthians, Paul writes:

  

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

19 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.....

21 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."(2nd Corinthians 5:18-19,21)

  

But knowing all that, do we even grasp what Jesus went through to accomplish the greatest feat performed on this earth, the salvation of men and women who believe in Him? Those who have seen the "Passion of the Christ" may get a Hollywood idea of how much suffering Jesus went through, but looking past the Catholic details that are not found in scripture, the depiction is thoroughly gruesome and hard to watch. But let's take a closer look at what modern movies can only give a representation of the barbaric form of torture know as crucifixion. It is where we get the word "excruciating" or "out of crucifixion".

 

THE "SCIENTIFIC" EXPLANATION OF THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS CHRIST

  

I had a brother in Christ send me an email that gave a condensed version of the barbaric and inhumane torture that was endured by my Lord God. It was hard to read, but the following touched my spirit with such remorse and an emotional response that should bring tears to the eyes of anyone who loves the Lord Jesus, as it did mine. Crucifixion was started by the Phoenecians, but was perfected in its brutality by the Roman Empire.

  

What did Jesus endure?

  

"At the age of 33, Jesus was condemned to death. At the time Crucifixion was the "worst" possible death. Only the worst criminals were condemned to be crucified. Yet it was even more dreadful for Jesus, unlike other criminals condemned to death by crucifixion Jesus was to be nailed to the Cross by His hands and feet.

 

Each nail was 6 to 8 inches long. The nails were driven into His wrist. Not into His palms as is commonly portrayed. There's a tendon in the wrist that extends to the shoulder. The Roman guards knew that when the nails were being hammered into the wrist that tendon would tear and break, forcing Jesus to use His back muscles to support himself so that He could breath. Both of His feet were nailed together. Thus, He was forced to support Himself on the single nail that impaled His feet to the cross. Jesus could not support himself with His legs because of the pain, so He was forced to alternate between arching His back then using his legs just to continue to breath. Imagine the struggle, the pain, the suffering, the courage, and so great a love to endure such agony.

  

Jesus endured this reality for over 3 hours. Yes, over 3 hours! Can you imagine this kind of suffering? A few minutes before He died, Jesus stopped bleeding. He was simply pouring water From his wounds. From common images we see wounds to His hands and feet and even the spear wound to His side... But do we realize His wounds were actually made in his body. A hammer driving large nails through the wrist, the feet overlapped and an even large nail hammered through the arches, then a Roman guard piercing His side with a spear. But before the nails and the spear Jesus was whipped and beaten.

  

The whipping was so severe that it tore the flesh from His body. The beating so horrific that His face was torn and his beard ripped from His face. The Crown of thorns cut deeply into His scalp. Most men would not have survived this torture. Jesus had no more blood to bleed out, only water poured from His wounds. The human adult body contains about 3.5 liters (just less than a gallon) of blood. Jesus poured all 3.5 liters of his blood; He had three nails hammered into His members; a crown of thorns on His head and, beyond that, a Roman soldier who stabbed a spear into His chest...All these without mentioning the humiliation He suffered after carrying His own cross for almost 2 kilometers, while the crowd spat in his face and threw stones (the cross was almost 30 kg of weight, only for its higher part, where His wrist and hands were nailed)." 

 

Reading this abbreviated explanation of the death of Jesus put an urgency in me to convey to the true believer, and hopefully, the non-believer to make it real in their mind just what Jesus endured for you and me. So I went to Google and started reading about Roman crucifixions and it gives you pause in your thought processes when you envision what this would have looked like, if you had   been standing at the foot of the cross that Jesus died upon as the apostle John did. Also Mary, His earthly mother, and other women who had followed Him during His ministry were there. While looking at many explanations online I went to this site: 

 

http://www.cbcg.org/scourging_crucifixion.htm

  

On the site, several medical doctors and pathologist give the anatomy and the physiology of what happens to a person who goes through a Roman crucifixion. As mentioned above about Jesus being whipped, as scourging was a prerequisite to finally being crucified. 

 

"The usual instrument was a short whip with several single or braided leather thongs of variable lengths, in which small iron balls or sharp pieces of sheep bones were tied at intervals. For scourging, the man was stripped of his clothing, and his hands were tied to an upright post. The back, buttocks, and legs were flogged either by two soldiers (lictors) or by one who alternated positions. The severity of the scourging depended on the disposition of the lictors and was intended to weaken the victim to a state just short of collapse or death. As the Roman soldiers repeatedly struck the victim's back with full force, the iron balls would cause deep contusions, and the leather thongs and sheep bones would cut into the skin and subcutaneous tissues. Then, as the flogging continued, the lacerations would tear into the underlying skeletal muscles and produce quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh. Pain and blood loss generally set the stage for hypovolemic shock. The extent of blood loss may well have determined how long the victim would survive on the cross. After the scourging, the soldiers often taunted their victim."( CBCG.org)

  

As mentioned, scourging was designed to weaken the individual to a point of near death by loss of blood and death would come from any number of reasons, but the most likely would be hypovolemic shock, or a loss of blood, and/or asphyxiation due to inability to expand the chest and the inability to inhale oxygen to sustain life while on the cross. Ponder on the words that you read in the article of the medical aspects of a man crucified and then ask yourself, "Why did Jesus do it?" 

 

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD....

 

It comes down to this very statement. God knew before the foundation of the world that to redeem His creation, mankind, that He Himself would have to become a man and die in their place.

  

6 " For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life."(Romans 5:6-10)

  

Do you fully understand the meaning of that passage? We were enemies of God. We were lost in our sins. We had NO hope of coming back to God, as God cannot allow sin into His presence. Here we were doomed by our own sinful nature. We were destined to die in our sins and being separated from God for all eternity. Understand, God didn't have to do it. The Lord Jesus didn't have to do it. God could have let us wallow in our sins, live our short, mortal lives and cast the whole lot of us into a devil's hell. But He didn't....WHY?

  

THE ANSWER: AMAZING LOVE!!

  

God has many attributes of His character, but the greatest of these is God is love. Yes, God is merciful, full of grace, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Even though the patience of God can run out, as our God is a Consuming Fire, the greatest attribute our God possesses is His Amazing Love for the creatures He made to be His family.....human kind. .....US!

  

John 3:16-18,

16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."(John 3:16-18)

 

What can explain why God so loved the world, that He came into this world as a mortal human being to accomplish one thing, to die for the sins of all who will put their faith and trust in Him? The Old Testament prophet Micah explains it why God did this....

 

18 "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea."(Micah 7:18-19)

  

God is love, and love is kind, but perhaps our approach to His forgiveness has been prosaically legal. The Scriptures reveal that God does kindness with intensity of will and readiness of mind. He forgives with all His heart because He delights in mercy! He says, "I have no pleasure in the death of him that dies." God's nature works to give mercy, not punish; to create beauty, not destroy; to save, not to lose.

  

John 3:16 is the definition of the LOVE of God. The passage is the whole point of the Bible and the life of Jesus Christ. As God is love, His love is extended toward us. Jesus came to do the Father's will and that was to save all who will come to Him and put their faith and trust in Him. For He alone can save you. Jesus said,

  

"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man cometh to the Father, but by Me." (John 14:6.)

  

Many read the first verse of this passage in John 3:16, but fail to read the next two verses. God doesn't want to condemn His creation, He wants to save it. Because of His unfathomable love for the "work of His hands", His creation, you and me. He applied mercy and grace mixed with that love.

  

The definition of this kind of "MERCY" is not receiving what you sorely deserve, and "GRACE" is receiving something you cannot earn. It is UNMERITED FAVOR.

  

Note verse 18 of John 3 of the above passage. You must believe in His only Begotten Son. You must believe that He died, that He suffered a torture that was taken on your behalf and that He died in your place. You must believe in your heart and your mind, not just a passing intellectual knowledge, but an embracing with your whole heart and soul that this is truth, and that God the Father raised Him , Jesus Christ, from the dead after 3 days and He is alive and coming back to collect what He has already bought, His creation. And foremost before the prior can happen, you must believe that you are a sinner...lost in your sins and destined for eternal death and separation from God for all eternity in a devil's hell. Hell, because it will be devoid of what God is...peace, love, hope, righteousness, happiness, joy, and glorious light.

  

You cannot be good enough, perform enough good deeds, give to the poor, tithes to the church, or attend Church services at your chosen denomination. We all fall short. As the Bible says, "Our righteousness are as filthy rags" in His sight. For all have sinned.

  

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus."(Romans 3:21-26)

  

SEPARATION FROM GOD FOR ALL ETERNITY

  

Let me put this in maybe something you can grasp concerning what scripture says about what Jesus experienced during His life up and until He died on the cross for you and me. Paul speaks of what Jesus experienced in His life while alive on this earth, 

 

14 "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."(Hebrews 4:14-16)

  

Realize that Jesus experienced everything that you experience in this life. He lived in an evil world with temptations all around those who lived at this time. There were sins of the flesh, of the mind, prostitution, homosexuality, and total lawlessness (as is today), but Jesus resisted and overcame them all. But Jesus never experienced one thing until hanging on that cross. He had not experienced it in all of eternity prior and I'm not sure that in His human form realized what was coming would be like, as it's not revealed when Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane and asked His Father to let this cup pass from Him:

  

41 "And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed,

42 saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done."

43 Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.

44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground."(Luke 22:41-44)

  

Jesus must have known it was coming, as He is God, but had never experienced it in His fleshly body, as He never had for all eternity. Jesus had experienced everything that we have to endure, but one aspect. He experienced on the cross what I think what He dreaded the most.

  

Jesus had always been with the Father. The Father and He were One, as Jesus told the Jews of His day:

  

27 " My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

30 I and my Father are One."(John 10:27-30)

  

Jesus had always known the Father. They had never been separated, but that changed on the cross, and it scared Jesus to His very mortal being.

  

33 "Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.

34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is translated, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"(Mark 15:33-34)

  

Have you figured it out yet? Up to this point, Jesus had been tempted in all aspects, just as you and I are, but at this one point in time, when God the Father turned His back on Him because of the sin laid upon Him and couldn't look, Jesus knew totally everything that you and I experience, even separation from Almighty God, His Father. It frightened my Lord and He cried out aloud. It should scare you too, as it scared Jesus, so should you cry out to God and cry,

  

"Lord Jesus Save me. I come to you a humbled, broken, repentant sinner, asking for you to forgive me of my sins. I believe you died and rose again so that I too, may live. I don't want to be separated from the love of God. I want to spend eternity with you and be alive forevermore in your Kingdom. Cover me with your own precious blood that you poured out on Calvary's cross, because I can't do it myself. I need you to come into my life and my heart , as my God and become the Lord of my life" 

 

If you say those words and mean them in you heart, Jesus will honor your cry to save you. Then you can partake of the sacrifice He paid for in His own blood and look forward to the future prophecies that are "all about Him" to be completed in the near future. Now Jesus was separated from God for a short time that it required for Him to make atonement for the sins of the whole world, but can you think of being separated from the love of God for all eternity with no hope of reprieve, or redemption, or hope to get out? The bible speaks of a place of this separation where the worm dieth not found in Isaiah: 

 

24 "And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh." (Isaiah 66:24)

  

It is describing an awful, hellish place where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth, (I presume from the pain, maybe of your mind) where the worm that eats on a dead body never dies, as you will never die, but tormented for all eternity. People don't like to think that God would ever do such a thing, to banish a person to such a place, because as they put it...God is Love. That's true, God is love, but, as I said, God is also a God of judgment, a God of justice, and a God of consuming fire. Paul described what men do not want to attribute to the God of the universe, but God is love, but just in His judgments as found in Hebrews 12: 

 

25 "See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

29 For our God is a consuming fire."(Hebrews 12:25-29)

  

This is what Jesus came out of LOVE to save us all from. Save us from separation from God, being banished to a place that was designed for Satan and his demons, not mankind. God is not willing that any should perish and go to such a place, but it is a decision left to the individual.

  

9 "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."(2nd Peter 3:9)

  

PROPHECY FULFILLED

 

You know that prophecy is being fulfilled during these last days in this world we live in, but without this prophecy being fulfilled in its entirety concerning the sacrifice Jesus paid for the souls of men and women, the future of this world, our world, and this life we live, would not mean anything. Because of what He did 2000 years ago, we who know the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord of our lives, have a prophecy that will be completed, possibly in my lifetime, most likely sooner than I can even imagine. That prophecy that was fulfilled started in agony and pain will end in complete victory in Jesus, from the time when He arose again until He comes again in the clouds of heaven to receive a people, a Bride, unto Himself. From the beginning of the first resurrection begun by Jesus Christ, we look forward to the coming of our Lord and a continuation of that mystery, known as the first resurrection as Paul spoke of in 1st Corinthians,

  

51 "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality."(1st Corinthians 15:51-53)

  

Many scriptures give assurance that Jesus will come again to remove those who have put their faith and trust in Him. (just search my website. I have many to prove the point) There are those that have trusted in the supreme sacrifice in His own blood, to save them from what is coming, to save them from the coming tribulation and ultimately, separation from God.

  

Then there are those that will never, ever make that decision to put their faith and trust in Him and believe and embrace what He did 2000 years ago. I pray that what I have written here gives you feelings of deep heartfelt thankfulness for what Jesus did, love for the One who loved your first, and a deep sorrow for what Jesus had to go through to save you and me. I pray you fall on your knees and cry out to our God, our Savior, and confess your sins to the saving of your soul.

  

Yes, the crucifixion was barbaric and horrific, but Jesus did it willingly, without disobedience to the will of the Father, as They both knew, it was the only way to save mankind from what was lost in the Garden of Eden, our spiritual innocence and then nail our death sentence to the wood of His cross. What started out as a horrific incident that condemned an innocent man to death by the ruling Roman and Jewish authorities, became what we all will experience. To those who believe in Him at the coming of our Lord God in the clouds for His people...they will sing VICTORY IN JESUS. It reminds me of a song we sing in church:

 

"Oh, victory in Jesus, my Savior forever,

He sought me, and He bought me with His redeeming blood,

He loved me err I knew Him, and all my love is due Him, He plunged me to VICTORY beneath the cleansing flood"

  

Yes, those who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did for us, will be able to sing this blessed song for all eternity...Will you be able to join us in that song? You make that prayer of repentance I asked you to pray about, believe John 3:16-18 and believe this next passage, you will be there standing along all who believe in the Love, the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ...our Lord, and soon coming King.

  

8 "But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."(Romans 10:8-13)

  

This is pastor Mike Taylor, praying that God reveals Himself to you, though His Holy spirit and you confess Jesus as Lord. If you need prayer, counseling, or just a listening ear, email me at pastormiketaylor@yahoo.com, God bless you all,

 

TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET.

Are You Ready?

Are You Ready?  

- By Mark Susswein -

https://www.raptureready.com/2020/06/23/are-you-ready-by-mark-susswein/

 

In the Prophet Isaiah's day, the people were building altars of worship dedicated to various so-called gods. Idolatry, along with all kinds of evil, was rampant. There was one king in particular who saw to it that the stomachs of pregnant women were ripped open. Another king went as far to sacrifice his own son by way of having that child burned alive as an offering. There was also the matter of discarding the Lord's commandments. Is it any wonder God became angry? Please take the time to read chapters 15-20 of 2nd Kings, and you'll know the "why" of God's holy and righteous anger.

 

The world today is no different in its behavior either. Nothing has changed. There is, as Scripture tell us, nothing new under the sun. And guess what? The Almighty God hasn't changed either.

 

The world has been foolishly provoking the Creator God to anger. It would be much wiser for the unbelieving world to wake up and fear Him instead of provoking Him. And, like Isaiah, we too are called to be that special messenger. Jesus commanded us to be active in carrying out the Great Commission. And, again like Isaiah, we can't do it in our strength, but we certainly can in His. Amen?

 

Isaiah was steadfastly obedient when it came to delivering a message of repentance to kings, priests, leaders and right on down to the common people. Imagine, wherever Isaiah went crying out to the people to "come back to the Lord your God." Plus, He was prophesying the coming of the Messiah. Not so easy. But Isaiah, with God's power and authority, delivered. Let's be the Isaiah of the cities, towns, and neighborhoods we live in. Amen?

 

Isaiah was given a great vision. With it he went on to speak a "far" prophecy which was the first coming of the Messiah spoken some 800 or so years before it was perfectly and completely fulfilled to the letter. What an awesome God!

 

We believers and followers of Jesus are messengers as well. We are to continue to proclaim the message: Jesus is coming again!

 

A great question for the lost in this world is a pretty good one. Are you ready?

 

A few weeks ago, a brother in the Lord spoke at our Men's Prayer Breakfast. He brought up the subject that seems to be a pretty popular one these days... the Rapture. He threw out a question for the men that morning, "Are you ready for the rapture?"

 

That brother went on further with another question, but this one was specifically aimed at the "lost." It was and is much more significant than the first. That question was, "Are you 'death' ready?"

 

Let's be an Isaiah carrying a message that, for the most part and quite sadly, doesn't want to be heard. What the lost does not want to hear is overridden by the fact that we believers are commanded by our Lord to deliver it. We are to be just as obedient as Isaiah was. And bonus... we will receive the crown known as the crown of rejoicing. Look at 2nd Thessalonians 2:19.

 

"For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy."

 

Let's remain active in asking those "lost" friends, loved ones and whomever God puts in our path, with questions relating to their eternal destiny. The answer they give will guide us in how to proceed. This is a matter of great consequence. It's a matter of where they will spend eternity. Without knowing the Savior, for them it will be an eternity in the Lake of Fire. Like I said earlier, that message is not an easy one to deliver.

 

Isaiah had the mission of relaying the hard truth to a rebellious people. REPENT! That message has been handed off to us to deliver. Nothing has changed, just the faces.

 

Let's not be distracted from telling the lost of what God desires for them which, of course, is eternal life; "for God so loved the world."

 

Let's pray sincerely and faithfully to the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us in our words and actions to that lost person He puts in front of us by way of Divine appointment.

 

Yes, we will more than likely be mocked and scoffed; after all, that's to be expected according to 2nd Peter 3:2-3.

 

"That you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires."

 

Brothers and sisters, stand firm knowing they are rejecting God, not you.

 

When Jesus comes again, He won't be riding on a donkey as the "Suffering Servant" like He did the first time. He will be coming an entirely different way according to Revelation 20:11. "Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war."

 

The lost best get ready... the King is coming.

 

As for the believers, the question is this: Are we ready to be that "Isaiah" to the lost?

 

Be Blessed!

 

Mark Susswein: msusswein@comcast.net

Really Bizarre Things Are Happening All Over The Globe

Really Bizarre Things Are Happening All Over The Globe - by Michael Snyder -

http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/really-bizarre-things-are-happening-all-over-the-globe

 

Just when you think that 2020 has been filled with enough trouble, even more stuff starts happening. Coming into this week, we were already dealing with a new COVID-19 surge which has pushed the number of daily cases to the highest levels we have seen so far, a global economy which is in the process of imploding all around us, massive civil unrest in U.S. cities from coast to coast, and giant swarms of locusts that are wiping out farms all the way from eastern Africa to parts of India. Unfortunately, now we have several more items to add to our growing list.

 

Let's start by talking about an alarming new outbreak of locusts. The following comes from a British news source...

 

Dramatic footage captures an "astonishing" swarm of locusts swarm through farmland and destroy crops.

 

The short-horned grasshoppers are capable of devouring the same amount of crops as 2,500 people would each day.

 

Some of you may have just read that paragraph and come to the conclusion that this is "old news".

 

After all, we have been hearing about the colossal armies of locusts in Africa for months, and I have published numerous articles about that unprecedented plague.

 

But the news story that I just quoted wasn't talking about those locusts. Instead, that report was about a brand new infestation that has erupted in Argentina, and one local official is saying that he has never seen anything like it ever before.

 

Just like on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, these little critters are voraciously gobbling up everything in sight, and countless farms are being destroyed.

 

Now these swarms are heading for Brazil, and Brazilian officials are definitely extremely alarmed. One of my readers in Brazil sent me an article about this emerging crisis from a Brazilian news source, and the following is a quote from that article which has been translated into English...

 

In approximately one square kilometer they can have up to 40 million insects, which in one day consume pastures equivalent to what 2,000 cows or 350,000 people eat, Argentine agronomist Héctor Medina told Reuters.

 

What would you do if 40 million locusts suddenly descended on your farm?

 

Of course the truth is that there would be very little that you could do that would make any sort of a difference. Just like so many other farmers around the globe, you would simply watch as all of your hard work is completely wiped out.

 

Meanwhile, an absolutely gigantic plume of dust from Africa has crossed the Atlantic Ocean and is about to hit the United States. The following comes from CBS News...

 

A massive plume of dust from the Sahara desert in northern Africa has been traversing the atmosphere, thousands of feet above the tropical Atlantic Ocean, and is now cloaking the Caribbean and closing in on the southeastern United States.

 

Every once in a while a dust plume from Africa can cross the ocean like this, but the monstrous one that we are witnessing right now is truly unusual.

 

In fact, one expert says that this is "the most significant event in the past 50 years"...

 

"This is the most significant event in the past 50 years. Conditions are dangerous in many Caribbean islands," Pablo Méndez Lázaro, from the University of Puerto Rico's School of Public Health, told the Associated Press.

 

As this plume travels across the U.S., air quality in some areas will drop precipitously. Some of the dust has already arrived, but a "thicker layer" is projected to starting hitting Texas on Friday...

 

On Wednesday, the dust is forecast to move across the Gulf of Mexico toward Texas.

 

Thursday morning, people in places like Brownsville in Texas and Houston will likely wake up to a beautiful sunrise and a hazier than normal sky.

 

Forecast models show the thicker concentration blanketing most of Central America and Mexico Thursday.

 

This thicker layer is likely to reach Texas by Friday and then take a turn to the east. If the forecast model is right, it will move over most of the Southeast and MidAtlantic states over the weekend.

 

On top of everything else, the west coast is starting to shake in a major way once again.

 

On Wednesday, southern California was struck by a magnitude 5.8 earthquake...

 

California residents received an emergency alert on their phones which read: "Earthquake! Expect shaking. Drop, Cover, Hold On. Protect yourself now. - USGS ShakeAlert". The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake struck 17km south-southeast of Lone Pine. The tremor originated at a depth of 2.9km, with an epicenter around 17 kilometers south-east of Lone Pine.

 

According to a USGS interactive shake map the impact of the earthquake could be felt in the Death Valley National Park.

 

The earthquake has since been downgraded to 5.8 magnitude.

 

That quake was followed by numerous sizable aftershocks, including one that was measured to be magnitude 4.6.

 

Overall, there have been 2,267 earthquakes in California and Nevada over the last 7 days, and that is definitely alarming.

 

Farther south along "the Ring of Fire", Mexico was hit by a magnitude 7.4 earthquake on Tuesday...

 

A powerful earthquake struck Mexico's southern Oaxaca region on Tuesday, killing at least five people and shaking buildings hundreds of miles away.

 

The 7.4-magnitude quake struck mid-morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Its epicenter was off the Pacific coast about seven miles southwest of Santa Mar�­a Zapotitlán, near the beach resort of Huatulco.

 

Very large seismic events are happening so frequently now that they barely make a blip on the news these days, and that is unfortunate because people need to wake up and understand that our planet is becoming increasingly unstable.

 

Here in the United States, scientists have been strongly warning us for years that we are way overdue for "the Big One" to hit California, and this is one of the things that I will be addressing in the new book that I am currently working on.

 

At some point there will be no more sand in the hourglass, and an unprecedented disaster will strike the west coast. Let us pray that we still have quite a bit more time before that happens.

 

But nothing can stop the inexorable march of time, and the deeper we get into 2020 the crazier it gets.

 

Unfortunately, the truth is that this "perfect storm" is just getting started, and that means that what we have experienced up to this point is just the tip of the iceberg.

THE WORLD SPINING OUT OF CONTROL: 6.27.20 - Raging

Raging - By Daymond Duck - https://www.raptureready.com/2020/06/21/raging-by-daymond-duck/

 

Know that this article is not really about the Coronavirus, the economy, religion, better government, etc.

 

This article is about end-of-the-age signs of a raging spiritual war: pestilence, violence, the coming global economic collapse, freedom of religion versus one-world religion (the Global Ethic), nationalism versus one-world government, etc.

 

The crises that the world have experienced since the beginning of 2020 have been orchestrated by or used by globalists that want the U.S. to submit to their coveted New World Order (NWO).

 

They are setting the stage for the fulfillment of Tribulation-Period Bible prophecy.

 

They are the kinds of things that Jesus said would happen before the generation that sees the return of Israel passes away (perhaps 70-80 years): clear evidence that human history is in the last hours of the last days called the Church Age (Matt. 24:32-34).

 

It is time to seriously ask if the birth pangs have started, because we are having worldwide deception (fake news; fake numbers on Coronavirus; social media censorship), worldwide pestilence (coronavirus), worldwide riots and demonstrations, worldwide economic problems, a famine of Biblical proportions looming in Africa, and more.

 

Caving to the NWO scheme will not make the world better, but it will bring in a time of tribulation worse than anything that has ever happened before (Matt.24:21).

 

Here are some of those signs (examples of things God told us to look for):

 

One, on June 3, 2020, it was reported that the World Economic Forum (WEF) is calling upon the nations to use the Coronavirus Crisis to reset (change) every aspect of society (government, education, working conditions, income, etc.).

 

The WEF also asked world leaders to do three things: 1) Make the stock market more fair, 2) Use investments (global taxes; politicians call taxes investments) to advance global goals (use taxes to control our education and lives), and 3) Support the public good (a phrase that Pope Francis uses instead of world government).

 

Two, the globalists are trying to bring down Pres. Trump for many reasons, but the two biggest reasons may be his opposition to the NWO (world government) and his support for Israel (because they want to force Israel into their NWO).

 

After warning the NWO's International Criminal Court (ICC; an established NWO world court that the U.S. and Israel refuse to recognize) that there would be consequences if the court didn't call off its illegal investigation of the U.S. and its allies, including Israel, for war crimes, Trump has acted against their ignoring him.

 

On June 11, 2020, Trump blocked the world court officials and their families from entering the U.S. and having access to their property in the U.S.

 

His sanctions protect all U.S. military personnel, all Israeli military personnel, and others from the rulings of the corrupt officials at the court.

 

Three, concerning apostasy, false teaching and world religion, God gave all (all not part) of the Promised Land to Israel and his descendants in their generation forever (Gen 17:7-8, 21; 28:13).

 

On June 11, 2020, it was reported that the World Council of Churches sent a letter to the EU asking it to punish Israel, if Israel annexes part of Judea and Samaria.

 

Four, on June 8, 2020, it was reported that the George Floyd family, with the help of a family legal team, sent a letter to the UN (notice a letter to the UN wannabe world government) on June 3 asking for help to disarm the police in the U.S.

 

Their legal team wants UN (wannabe world government) support to help them:

 

• Stop the police from getting military equipment and military-type training.
• Stop the police from being trained in de-escalation techniques (reducing conflict, controlling crowds, removing agitators, etc.).
• Get independent prosecutions and autopsies in police killings that violate the law.

 

They presented these same issues to Congress on June 10, 2020.

 

According to Tucker Carlson, in the U.S., police killed 10 black men and 20 white men in the last year.

 

For whatever it is worth, if anything, the Minneapolis Police Chief (the man over Derek Chauvin who is charged with killing George Floyd) is a black man.

 

Five, on June 8, 2020, it was reported that Nancy Pelosi and more than 200 co-sponsors in the Democrat Party unveiled the "Justice in Policing Act 2020."

 

Many knelt in silence for 8 min. and 46 seconds in honor of Floyd (the length of time Derek Chauvin had his knee on Floyd's neck) when they presented the bill.

 

They want to make it easier to sue the police for misconduct.

 

They want to prohibit no-knock warrants (warrants issued by judges that authorize the police to enter a property without prior notice).

 

Pres. Trump said they want to defund the police, but Nancy Pelosi said defunding the police is the prerogative of local governments.

 

Nevertheless, several Democrats have called for the police to be defunded, and Pres. Trump said it will not happen (Jesus said iniquity, lawlessness, will abound; Matt. 24:12).

 

But before I continue, and someone misunderstands me, I am not anti-black.

 

I know black people in my hometown and surrounding communities that set a Christian example that I wish every person of every race lived up to.

 

I never ask anyone to support my ministry financially, and the only church that does it regularly is a congregation of black people that has never been asked to do it, and they have voluntarily sent a love offering every month for years.

 

During the Great Depression, a black family who had children of their own to feed, shared food they had grown and canned with my grandparents (and their children; my dad and uncles) to get them through the winter.

 

There are good citizens in every race, bad citizens in every race, mistreated citizens in every race, everyone sins, and everyone is loved by God.

 

I trust some black people I know more than I trust some white people I know; and as far as I am concerned, one of our national treasures is a black lady named Dr. Alveda King (niece of Dr. Martin Luther King).

 

I am trying to warn you that this crisis is about the black vote in the next election and the NWO (world government), not racism.

 

People are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to weaken the U.S. and bring in the NWO.

 

If they succeed, according to the Book of Revelation, about 2/3 of those on earth will die (many black) in the 7-year Tribulation Period that follows the Rapture.

 

If black lives matter to the Democrats, why did so many Democrat Governors and Mayors order the police to stand down while Antifa and others looted and burned black businesses, injured, and killed black citizens, black police, etc.?

 

If black lives matter to the Democrats, why didn't these officials order the police to protect the black people? Why do they want to defund the police who protect the black people? Shouldn't the lives and businesses of black people be protected too?

 

I saw a video that says 94% of the black people that are killed are killed by black people (and a lot, not all, of this is occurring in cities that are run by Democrats who seemingly aren't doing anything to protect black lives).

 

I encourage you to listen to this incredible young black man (8 ½ min):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmaXg7KzSRU&app=desktop

 

In Seattle, Washington, Antifa and Black Lives Matter have occupied a 6-block area, a small number have been seen in the streets with high-powered assault rifles; they have threatened to burn down buildings; I have seen reports that they are extorting money from people and businesses; citizens have called the police for help; some people have complained that they have not been allowed to enter their own homes; the police were ordered to evacuate the area; and at the time of this writing, the Democrat governor and Democrat mayor are praising Antifa and Black Lives Matter (who are not worthy to clean the shoes of some of the black people they have robbed and injured).

 

Pres. Trump tweeted that the Seattle politicians should take back the area or he will, but he was told to go back into his bunker under the White House and stay out of local business (a do-nothing, political comeback to the Republican charge that Democrats are keeping Biden in his basement).

 

The prophet Isaiah said, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil (Isa. 5:20).

 

There may not be a better example of calling evil good, and good evil than those that condemn our nation's police (including black police, Asian police, Hispanic police, etc.) and heap praise on Antifa and Black Lives Matter who injured scores, killed several, destroyed hundreds of millions of dollars of property, etc.

 

Derek Chauvin was wrong to put his knee on the neck of George Floyd, and the Democrats are wrong to put their knee on the neck of black people.

 

The three policemen with Derek Chauvin were wrong for standing around and not helping George Floyd (and they will be prosecuted), and the politicians are wrong for standing around and not helping those that were being robbed and injured (and they won't be prosecuted; this doesn't sound like justice to me).

 

The politicians are prosecuting the working men, but the politicians are going free.

 

The politicians are disarming the police that protect their citizens, yet they use some of the taxes they collect from their citizens to pay for security for themselves.

 

The American and Christian way is to love all people, help the oppressed, and protect them - not rob them, destroy their property and jobs, and keep them down.

 

The American way is to arm the police and disarm the criminals, not to disarm the police and arm the criminals (what does it say about a political party that wants to take the guns away from honest citizens at the same time they are praising arsonists, looters, oppressors and killers with assault rifles).

 

Pastor Tom Hughes said in Old Testament times God gave people that ignored Him over to reprobate minds (Rom. 1:28).

 

He believes that God may be giving people over to reprobate minds today, and the evidence seems to prove that he is right.

 

Six, on June 11, 2020, Life News reported that at least two (and perhaps more) of the fast-tracked Coronavirus vaccines contain cells from aborted fetal tissue.

 

Some scientists claim that vaccines that use cells from aborted fetal tissue are more effective than vaccines that use non-human cells, but others disagree; and there are at least 10 companies working on vaccines that don't use cells from aborted fetal tissue.

According to the report, in 2018, the Trump administration established a $20 million fund to assist companies that are working on vaccines that do not use cells from aborted fetal tissue.

 

Christians need to urge their politicians to support the companies that are trying to produce non-human cell vaccines.

 

On May 28, 2020, the New York State Bar Association called for mandatory vaccinations of all Americans when one is available with no exceptions for religious, philosophical, or personal reasons (they want to force people to take it).

 

Seven, concerning the Battle of Gog and Magog in the latter years and latter days: on June 7, 2020, it was reported that Iran has drastically increased its stockpile of enriched uranium and has moved closer to its goal of developing nuclear weapons.

 

Also, on June 7, 2020, it was reported that Iran has amassed about 53,000 Iranian-backed forces (Hezbollah and others disguised in Syrian uniforms) near Syria's border with Israel, and they are preparing to attack Sunni Syrians on the Golan Heights that are friendly with Israel.

 

To close, a great spiritual war is raging in the world, and major events related to Bible prophecy are happening every day.

 

According to the Book of Revelation, billions of people will die during the Tribulation Period (pestilence, beheading, natural disasters, war, etc.).

 

The most important thing anyone can do is to believe what the Bible says about Jesus (His virgin birth, sinless life, death, burial, and resurrection), sincerely ask Jesus to forgive their sins, and come into their heart (and as I see it, our raging society is an indication that people are running out of time to get it done).

 

Prophecy Plus Ministries, Inc.

Daymond & Rachel Duck

 

Conditioning of America for the New World Order - By Jonathan Brentner - https://www.raptureready.com/2020/06/23/conditioning-of-america-for-the-new-world-order-by-jonathan-brentner/

 

It's no longer secret; the elite in this world want to eliminate national sovereignty in favor of a New World Order, a worldwide governing authority.

 

The United Nations recently launched a web page titled "Let's Take Our Planet Back" at https://unnwo.org/. [i] An easy way to remember the link is to remember "UN New World Order." Although the UN's objective to establish a worldwide government has long been visible through its Agenda 2030 goals, this website represents a more blatant unveiling of its intent to create a Marxist New World Order to control the people of the world.

 

Much of what we are seeing in 2020 represents a concerted effort by these elite globalists to prepare people in the United States and the world to accept the authority of the coming New World Order (NWO). Although President Trump remains solidly against the submission of the United States to it, the radical left and media have succeeded in convincing many Americans that:

 

Only a NWO Can Protect You from Disease

 

I remain amazed at how the left has used the media to create a psyche of fear in the wake of COVID-19. I am aware that the coronavirus has caused much suffering. However, the evidence does not support the shutting down of economies and the widespread panic that has resulted from it. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently announced that it's highly unlikely for one with no symptoms to spread this virus. Does this not make quarantining the healthy and masks unnecessary?

 

Furthermore, for the majority of people, COVID-19 is not any more deadly than the typical flu. Those under seventeen have a greater chance of lightning striking them than of this virus killing them.

 

In spite of this, media and left-leaning politicians have convinced us that we are incapable of deciding the risk inherent in public gatherings. Most states closed down "non-essential" businesses and churches to protect us from ourselves. Many governors have put draconian measures in place that have more to do with control than anything else.

 

How does this relate to the New World Order? The third goal of the UN's Agenda 2030 states the mission of this coming worldwide government will be to "ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages." In other words, we must turn over the responsibility for our health to a government agency because they supposedly possess a better understanding of how to protect our health than we do.

 

We have already seen calls for this type of ruling authority to deal with this virus. On March 26, 2020, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Gordon Brown, called upon world leaders to create "a temporary form of global government" in order to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

I believe the widespread wearing of masks in public symbolizes the willingness of people to submit to a worldwide regime who promises to act in their best interest. Do masks stop the spread of the virus? No. On May 21, 2020, the New England Journal of Medicine said this about wearing masks, "The chance of catching Covid-19 from a passing interaction in a public space is therefore minimal. In many cases, the desire for widespread masking is a reflexive reaction to anxiety over the pandemic." The writer of the article in the journal concluded that masks reduce the fears of people, but are otherwise ineffective.

 

Only a NWO Can Protect the Environment

 

Until the arrival of COVID-19, the supposed climate change crisis had been the impetus behind the calls for the NWO. Both Agenda 2030 and its corresponding Green New Deal in the United States assume that the only way for us to protect the environment from imminent catastrophe is to join together under a totalitarian Marxist government. [ii]

Inherent in the goals of these initiatives is the unmistakable presupposition that only such a socialist type of government can save the environment from the dangers posed by climate change. Hollywood celebrities, politicians around the world, and even Pope Francis repeatedly warn us that only a New World Order can save the planet and thus preserve it for future generations.

 

Who decided that only a Marxist world order can combat climate change? Even if one concedes that climate change is an emergency requiring immediate action, why is it necessary for the entire world to forsake nationalism and free enterprise in order to address it?

 

According to the most recent statistics of the International Energy Agency (IEA), the United States leads the world in declining CO2 emissions. On February 11, 2020, the IEA stated that the "United States saw the largest decline in energy-related CO2 emissions in 2019 on a country basis-a fall of 140 Mt, or 2.9%, to 4.8 Gt.US emissions are now down almost 1 Gt from their peak in the year 2000, the largest absolute decline by any country over that period."

 

China, on the other hand, provides us with ample evidence that totalitarian socialist governments are the absolute worst at controlling air pollution. It seems to me that the Marxist solution proposed by Agenda 2030 and the Green New Deal is the worst possible route to take since it has already proven incapable of decreasing pollution in our environment.

 

Only a NWO Can Protect Minorities from Racism

 

Among other things, the well-orchestrated and carefully planned rioting of the past few weeks has convinced many people that the United States can no longer protect people from racism or the abuse of the police. The subservient act of kneeling has become symbolic of agreeing with the rioters that not only can we not trust the police; our entire structure of law enforcement needs radical transformation.

 

The intent of the media and violent groups such as Antifa and Black Lives Matter is to shame us into believing we are all responsible for any and all racism as well as for the killing of George Floyd. As such, we must accept the reforms to our police departments even to the extent of agreeing to UN help in order to achieve justice for blacks.

 

According to NBC news, Ben Crump, a member of George Floyd's legal team, has already appealed to the United Nations to intervene in the alleged injustice in the United States. In doing so, he stated, "The United States of America has a long pattern and practice of depriving Black citizens of the fundamental human right to life.... The United States government has consistently failed to hold police accountable and did not bring Federal criminal charges even in cases with irrefutable video evidence."

 

While I believe Crump's statements are totally false, the media along with many politicians are diligently working to convince people that such statements are true. As a result, we hear growing cries to either disband police departments or defund them. The future result of such action would quite likely lead to UN intervention to quell the resulting violence and lawlessness that will happen without our police.

 

This fits perfectly with goal number 11 of the United Nation's 2030 Agenda, "Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable." The intent of the UN is for it, rather than individual nations, to ensure the safety of all people from the evils of racism and injustice.

 

We know from Scripture that racism and injustice will increase exponentially during the coming tribulation despite the lofty goals of the UN. The long-awaited utopia will eventually become a killing machine under the leadership of the antichrist.

 

Only a NWO Can Guarantee Equal Outcomes

 

The goals of the UN's Agenda 2030 and the Green New Deal are the exact opposite of what the founding fathers envisioned for America. Those who wrote the Declaration of Independence and framed the constitution did so with the aim of forming a republic that guaranteed equal opportunity for its citizens. The Marxist globalists pledge to guarantee equal outcomes for all people via the New World Order.

 

The graves of over a hundred million people from the last century testify to the deceitfulness of such a claim, which is impossible to achieve for at least a couple reasons. First, in any totalitarian regime, it's the ruling class that defines the "equal outcome" for the masses, not the people. And secondly, the elite always resort to deadly force in dealing with those who disagree with the elite regarding the nature of these "equal outcomes."

 

As has been the case since the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11, the desire for a one-world government represents a rejection of God and His Word revealed on the pages of the Bible. People have long believed they can institute a better plan for governing the world than God.

 

Sadly, at the end of the millennium, people will even rebel against Jesus' righteous and just rule over the world (Rev. 20:7-10). In doing so they will prove that rebellion against God and His Word comes from the heart of those who reject Jesus. The violence and rioting we see in the United States is not the result of systemic racism, but the result of hearts bent on spurning the Lord's authority and revelation to us.

 

As people turn away from Jesus and the truth He embodies, the more likely they come to look to government as the answer to their woes and grievances. And once the left and the media convince them that the United States does not have their best interests at heart, they become more vulnerable to the cries for a worldwide governing authority that falsely promises a utopian existence for them.

 

Such things as new laws, more government regulation, and a worldwide governing authority will only continue the downward spiral of this Christ-rejecting world into lawlessness and destruction. It saddens me to see so many people, even Christians, sucked into the prevailing mindset that we need more government control to combat social ills and disease.

 

The answer is found in the pages of Scripture. It's Jesus and Him alone. The future of this world consists of unimaginable death and destruction. For those of us who know the Savior, we look forward to His soon return.

 

Maranatha!!

 

Jonathan Brentner

 

Website: Our Journey Home

 

 

 

Civil War and the Coming New World Order - by Pete Garcia - https://www.rev310.com/2020/06/civil-war-and-the-coming-new-world-order

 

This is quite a difficult and sensitive topic being discussed here today. But I feel that it is warranted, given what we are seeing play out before us. I don't have any particular scriptural basis for it, other than it is more of an observation of the times. If anything, I would liken it to the condition Jesus laid out for His disciples when asked what the signs of the end would be when He said...

 

Nation (ethnos) would rise against nation (ethnos), kingdom (political power) against kingdom (political power) ...and the love of many will wax cold... (Matt. 24:7, 12)

 

There is a storm brewing in our land and has been for some time. Those dark, foreboding clouds have always been on the horizon, but now they are overhead and our grumbling like a Kansas thunderstorm laden with the potential for torrential rains, lightning, and tornadoes. While history is not everyone's favorite subject, it should be something we reconcile frequently. Studying history helps illuminate the challenges and similarities that our ancestors faced, and may help us recognize the challenges we face in our own day, and of days yet to come. The reason for this is because although the times change, and the technology changes-the human condition never does. We tend to make the same mistakes over and over because we are a fallen race riddled with sin...and given enough time, history tends to repeat itself without fail.

 

On November the 9th, 2016, quite possibly the largest political earthquake ever felt in the United States occurred in the wee hours of the morning with Republican Donald Trump's victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton. So stunning was the loss for Clinton and the Democrats that the media, the glitterati, the newspapers, print journals, pundits, and comedians all had assumed that her victory was so certain, that the election itself was just a formality. But since that day, the stammering and speechlessness has turned increasingly vitriolic and toxic, as the reality that Donald Trump really will be the next President of the United States.

 

Since then, we've been witness to an increasing number of "spontaneous" anti-Trump demonstrations along with a rash of growing anti-police violence. These protests are "spontaneous" in the same sense that Benghazi was a result of an 'anti-Islamic' video on YouTube. In all actuality, these protests are part of a greater concerted effort by uber-leftist/globalist groups like George Soros Incorporated and MoveOn.org, who are attempting to upend the system in the wake of their stunning political defeat. So if they can't win politically despite the rampant fraud and voter machine rigging, they will attempt it by funding and fomenting violence.

 

The attempt now by the media to link the 'rise in white power groups' to Trump's victory, is another attempt to get him to backpedal. Their rise (neo-Nazi's and the like) are not a result of Trump's election, but rather, a reaction to the Black Lives Matter movement that has sprung up across the nation and has hijacked the narrative on race.

 

Along those same sentiments is a growing call for secession from the Union from more traditionally liberal states like California and Oregon as a more formal protest against a Trump presidency. In the past, conservative states like Texas have threatened secession due to President Obama's federal overreach, but it seemed more bark than bite. At the very least, things could get to the point where California itself divides between the liberal south and central, and the more conservative north. But one thing to watch here is the momentum of the movement at the state level and to what degree Governor Jerry 'Moonbeam' Brown supports it as an act of defiance over the 'sanctuary city' status they will maintain despite federal threats of financial penalties.

 

But in watching the 'useful-idiot' movement (and media) attempting to justify their actions of blocking traffic, destroying private property, killing cops, threatening to kill cops, and provoking random violence, it reminded me of the events leading up to the American Civil War. Let us recap:

 

1820: The Missouri Compromise-Allowed Missouri to be a slave state, but added Maine as a free state to balance out Congress. Also divided the slave territories along the 36 by 30 parallel.

 

1831: Nat Turner's Rebellion-slave uprising killing 60 whites. Quelled after two days, 55 slaves, including Nat Turner, were executed, along with 200 more who were lynched.

 

1846-1850: Wilmot Proviso would have (it failed) outlawed slavery from expanding into the newly acquired territories at the end of the Mexican-American war, which gained the US much of the southwest including California.

 

1850: The Compromise of 1850-New western territories in the would be slave states, but compelled the northerners to abide by the Fugitive Slave Act, which required them to return fugitive slaves back to the South.

 

1852: Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin" popular book on slavery conditions in the south, considered by the north shocking and horrifying, but disparaging to Southerner's who viewed this as gross mischaracterization.

 

1854-1861: 'Bleeding Kansas' The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 overturned parts of the Missouri Compromise, by allowing these states to determine whether or not to be free or slave. The both went free after a bloody, five year struggle.

 

1857: The Dred Scott Case-The Supreme Court ruled that slaves were property, further complicating the North's opposition to slavery.

 

1859: John Brown's Raid-White Southerners and freed black slaves raided ammunition arsenal and began arming other groups to rise up. Was captured and executed becoming a martyr to the Abolitionist movement.

 

1860: Election of Abraham Lincoln-The election of the Republican A. Lincoln was overwhelming, considering he was not even on the ballot in many southern states. His election was followed by the secession of South Carolina some 30 days after. Six more states would secede by the spring of 1861.

 

1861: Battle of Ft. Sumter-Following S. Carolina's secession, Ft. Sumter suddenly found itself on foreign land. Lincoln decided to send supplies and was met with a Southern blockade. This sparked the start of the actual Civil War.

 

(Reference: http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/civil-war-overview/triggerevents.html)

 

Assessment

 

As you can see, the Civil War didn't start because a Republican, Abraham Lincoln, was elected as President. Lincoln's election was simply the straw that broke the camel's back. There were decades of unchecked grievances and emotions leading up to the election of 1860. Former President Thomas Jefferson made this forewarning upon hearing of the Missouri Compromise of 1820 on slavery. In it he...

 

"Considered it at once as the (death) knell of the Union. It is hushed indeed for the moment. But this is a reprieve only, not a final sentence. A geographical line, coinciding with a marked principle, oral and political, once conceived and held up to the angry passions of men, will never be obliterated; and every new irritation will mark it deeper and deeper."

 

Thomas Jefferson saw slavery as an issue that would not simply go away by appeasement and compromise. It would continue to fester in the hearts and minds of Americans (both for and against) until it resolved itself in the bloodiest war ever waged by Americans. In regard to this concept of unchecked grievances, I would like to draw a parallel to the issues of our day. The battle over the hearts and minds of Americans has been over a century in the making and is so ingrained into our culture, that we no more think about our eroding liberties than a frog thinks about the water he is in warming up.

 

There would be no need to work for liberty were liberties not being lost. Most Americans are unaware of a decline in individual liberty, and the reason is obvious: the decline rarely takes the form of sudden personal deprivations but, instead, takes the form of unnoticed erosion, and thus we come, as do the Russians, to regard whatever state we are in as a normal condition."   Leonard E. ReAd, (1965)

 

The outrage by normal Americans over the past eight years, has resulted in the loss of some 900 Democrat seats of power, the rise of the Tea Party movement, and culminated with the election of Donald Trump primarily because of Obama's overreach. He didn't do anything different than any other president before him, which was to create more bureaucracy, more overreach, and add to our burgeoning national deficit. Obama simply got too greedy, too fast. His federal abuse was too obvious, and it has awoken the silent majority much in the same way that the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor awoke a largely isolationist-minded American public in the 1940s.

 

Understand that there has already been a soft coup in this nation going back a hundred years or more. This coup began with the varying ideological theories from people like Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Charles Darwin, Herbert Spencer, Friedrich Nietzsche, Margaret Sanger, John Dewey, and many others who at their foundation, espouse a rabid anti-Christian, anti-American, and anti-Constitutionalist ideas. Although the aforementioned specialize in different areas (economics, science, eugenics, psychology, and education), they all feed off of each other and use each other as stepping stones to validate their own agendas.

 

Their goal, largely accomplished today, was to spread this infectious ideology first through European seminaries, universities, and then on to the rest of the world via public education and governance. This then would be reinforced through the relentless "consensus-mantra" beatings by media and pop culture on the average citizenry. Now those most indoctrinated by socialism (in its varying forms) are firmly embedded in most of the western governments. Their goal is a one-world system. But first, they need to 'divide and conquer' which is why we see the parties (even within themselves) so divided over fiscal, social, and political issues we face today.

 

Although the swing left was greatly exacerbated during the Clinton and Obama administrations, Hillary's third term was meant to be the icing on the cake. It was meant to usher in an avalanching demographic change via massive, unchecked immigration that would change the electoral makeup of this country forever so that no Republican could ever win again. This is why this Trump win is such a stinging defeat. They (media, politicians, "experts") were so sure of a Democratic victory that Clinton never even thought to write her concession speech. Such was the power of the media to distort the facts on the ground. Even now, you can see now how the media is already trying to shape what President Trump's agenda should be. This is the same media that completely got the election wrong. They keep trying to shape the argument that what real American's are angry about, is their talking points.

To set the record straight about the average American:

 

We aren't angry over "climate change."

 

We aren't angry because men can't use women's restrooms.

 

We aren't angry because we hate immigrants.

 

We are angry because the progressive-left has hijacked the Constitution and is trying to redefine it into something it was never intended to be- a license for lawlessness leading to a global government.

 

We are angry about unchecked immigration, sanctuary cities, overwhelming national debt, global trade deals that would crush the US economy, and an overburdened, and under-resourced military.

 

We are angry at the lawlessness and corruption permeating every facet of our society.

 

We are angry that the America we got the privilege to grow up in, will not exist for our children at the current rate.

 

Conclusion

 

Slavery is a system of both commerce and thought, and has been around as long as man has. It always seeks to put one class above the other. One works while the other reaps the benefit of that work. In the past centuries, the workers and reapers were determined by race and ethnicity. But as the west came to abandon the actual practice of slaveholding, the concept remained. In the 20th-21st century, the class division wasn't so much about race, as it was political and religious ideology.

 

While slavery was the issue of the day back in the 1850s and was rightly rejected by the Republican Party, the issue of slavery still holds sway over the world today. This new form of oppression in the west is more akin to the proletariat versus bourgeoisie of the communist revolutions that swept through places like Russia, China, Cuba, and Vietnam in the 20th century. This new form of oppression is between the haves and have nots, the elite, and the 'unwashed' masses, between the enlightened and the deplorables, and between the media and the alternative watchdogs. The Democrat party, like their Confederate forefathers, never abandoned the idea of slavery however, they just redefined it.

 

Lyndon B. Johnson's "Great Society" wasn't based on truly helping poor, minority communities, but enslaving them into systemic poverty, and guaranteeing party loyalty for decades to come. Even the leftist Snopes 'fact-checking website' has a very difficult time walking back his vehemently racist comments. But here is the greater proof, if the Democrat party truly had the best interest of minorities in mind, democratic strongholds like Detroit, Chicago, and Washington D.C. would be beacons of peace and prosperity. But those cities, like so many others, are markedly divided between the 'go and no go' zones of the rich and affluent, and the poor and desperate.

 

But to the left, even racism and slavery are only means to an end, not the end itself. It is even somewhat disingenuous to claim on the left want globalism because there are many so-called Republicans who are also in the tank for a one-world system. Racism, sexism, 'homophobia', 'islamophobia', etc., are tools they use via Cultural Marxism to create 'identity politics' as a means to divide and conquer a nation. To this end, the left will never concede of their own volition to constitutional governance, because they've already spent the last 100 years corrupting the system and have come too far. For them, the Constitution is only useful in how they can use it to destroy the entire system. Put in another way, they (globalist-left and right) want us to commit constitutional suicide. Since they will never yield, we are really only left with one option if we are to preserve our way of life (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness), and that is by making them bend to our will, not the other way around.

 

We should also accept the reality that mainstream media has become irrelevant. Their agenda is not the American agenda. The Democrat party is in massive decline and are in the process of implosion; they have lost around 900 seats (governorships, congress, senate, etc.) since 2010. We can make a rather sobering assessment that the Democrat party itself will die, and out of the ashes will rise something between a mix of outright communism and Sharia Law.

 

They want an international system of socialism because, in their heart of hearts, they truly believe that this is the only way in which man can solve all of his problems. That is why they are intent on destroying the very system that affords them the ability to even have thoughts of destroying it. And just as the Civil War didn't start in 1820 with the Missouri Compromise, nor did it begin with Lincoln's election, rather, it was a long series of steps that led straight to the battlefields of Antietam and Gettysburg, in which brother killed brother, and neighbor killed neighbor. We would be smart to remember the old axiom that Mark Twain once said...although history doesn't repeat itself, it sure does rhyme. Not to fear though, there is a one-world system coming, and the Bible guarantees it. Revelation 19:11-16...

 

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness, He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

 

KING OF KINGS AND

LORD OF LORDS.

Even So, Maranatha!

 

 

While the world fears COVID, prophecy advances - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com

 

The world is in chaos. Antifa and other Marxist groups are stirring violence in America and Europe. China and India are clashing on their borders. China has infected the world with a tremendous pestilence that shut down and crippled the most robust economies across the globe. Israel's government is in turmoil. Turkey has been bombing northern Iraq and is in conflict with Libya. The UN's International Atomic Energy Agency has reprimanded Iran for covertly developing both nuclear weapons and missile delivery systems. In Nigeria, Islamic terrorists, Boko Haram and the Fulani are committing genocide on Christians. These events could be tied into the end time prophecies of the Bible, but the end is not yet.

 

While America's eyes have been focused on COVID-19, the prophecy clock has moved forward. There are many Christian teachers and preachers teaching that we are now living in the biblical tribulation (Send them money and they will tell you more). They are deceived. We are not yet living in the time more accurately depicted as Jacob's Troubles. But these current events may well be the precursor to that time. In the most chronologically ordered description of what will happen in the end of days, Christ began in Matthew 24:4 by saying, "Take heed that no man deceive you." Then he went on to describe the events of the end times. He said there will be wars, rumors of wars, pestilences, earthquakes, false christs and false prophets, but the end is not yet, these are what he described as the beginning of sorrows.

 

In Daniel 8:19, Gabriel says, "Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be. The ram which you saw having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. And the rough goat is the king of Grecia." Strong's Concordance interprets the word "Grecia" in Hebrew as "Yavan, a son of Japheth (the third son of Noah)," his descendants and their land." The Genesis 10 table of nations indicates this area was not only Greece (as Bible interpretations imply), but also the Eastern Mediterranean, including key parts of today's Turkey. Noah's grandsons Gomer, Magog, Meshech, Tubal are specifically mentioned in Ezekiel 38 as part of a coalition led by Gog of Magog against Israel. Currently, Iran has control over much of Iraq and Syria. Turkey is challenging that control.

 

For Ezekiel 38 and Daniel 8 to be fulfilled, Iran (Persia) must submit to Turkey's (Magog, Meshech, Tubal) leadership against Israel. Currently, these major prophetic actors are in turmoil. Turkey is in contention with Libya and Iraq. Iran is aggressively trying to build nuclear weapons and is a major disruptor nation in Syria. Islam continues to persecute Jews and Christians. Israel is divided politically and is considering a US-brokered agreement to divide its land with the "Palestinians." As these events develop, Christians and Jews should keep their eyes open. When you recognize the "beast" (antichrist) arising from among these actors, you will know that the time is near, even at the door.

 

 

A return to the ancient paths: A house divided - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com

 

Given the already nasty nature of the current political climate and the mind-boggling issues facing the United States, the outcome of the upcoming elections is going to have a pivotal impact on the future of our nation and our families. Unfortunately, there are few who will stand up for what is right, and when they do, the news media, the cancel culture, and the political opposition cry loud and hard. It is arguable that we have become a nation where morality, common sense, respect for others, and kindness have been replaced by moral relativism, political intolerance, and ideological bigotry. Given, however, the immense challenges we face as a people, many wonder if we can survive as a nation.

 

Christ said in Matthew 12:25, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand." He later says in verse 39. "He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad." Politicians are trying to consolidate their power by pitting class against class, black against white, conservative against liberal, have nots against haves, women against men, and children against parents. They are trying to divide rather than unite. If you do not understand, just look at the television ads for anything from politics to humanitarianism. Little is being said about how to unite together to fix problems. A lot of finger pointing.

 

Many believe with good reason that this nation is on the verge of a civil war. Everybody has an opinion, but there are few solutions. Those who have an opinion are marginalized as hate mongers or extremists or both. This kind of divisive rhetoric only further drives wedges into disagreement. But the problem is far deeper than the ranting of political opponents. Informed citizens should be able to discern between truth and lies. The real problem is what Christ said that "he that is not with me is against me." The nation as a whole is not with Christ. So many memorialize sodomy, abortion, covetousness, idolatry, lies, and false teachings by "judging not lest we be judged." Using the Bible to justify abomination.

 

We need to get back to finding what God wants for us. The first part of Jeremiah 6:16 says, "Stand at the crossroads, and look, and ask about the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it, and you shall find rest for your souls..." This is good advice. If we as a people could find it in ourselves to find the good way on the ancient path, we would be on the way to healing ourselves, our families, our communities, and our nation. Unfortunately, like in Jeremiah's time, our nation is so divided, the resolve of the people is as in the second part of Jeremiah 6:16, "But they said, We will not walk in it." The new normal is that America is divided and, in my opinion, it's because she is separated from her true savior, Christ.

 

 

Hope Versus the Invisible Enemy - By Hal Lindsey -

https://www.hallindsey.com/ww-6-24-2020/

 

Covid-19 has turned out to be a more formidable foe than most could have imagined at the beginning of this year. One of its insidious features has been its ability to kill some people, while others get it and show few if any symptoms. If someone doesn't know he has the disease, how can he understand the danger he poses?

 

Last week, the MIT Technology Review said that after a series of new studies, "Researchers are beginning to come to a consensus... that 80% of new transmissions are caused by fewer than 20% of the carriers."

 

According to the John Hopkins University of Medicine Coronavirus Research Center, there have been more than 9 million Covid cases in the world so far, and almost half a million people have died. Over 120,000 of the dead were from the United States. This all happened in just a few months. The World Health Organization did not receive its first report on the disease until the last day of 2019.

 

Even as Europe comes out of its lockdown, the number of infections worldwide continues to rise. Much of the increase has come from Central and South America. Brazil has had more than 50,000 Covid deaths. The indigenous peoples there have been especially hard hit. There have been major new outbreaks in countries that thought they had everything under control, such as China, South Korea, and Australia.

 

The rise in new cases in many US states is tied to increased testing. Those numbers can be misleading. But it is troubling to see hospitalizations on the rise in places like Texas, California, and Arizona. Hospitalizations do not fluctuate with the number of people being tested. They reflect how many people are actually becoming severely ill.

 

Meanwhile, some Christian ministers are telling us that this is not a sign of the times. They point to the Black Plague and the 1918 Spanish flu as examples of worse pandemics. But there is a difference this time. In 1918 and in the mid-13th century, the primary prerequisite for end-times events had not taken place. The Jews had not yet formed a new nation of Israel.

 

The other difference today is that this is only one of a series of signs striking the world all at once. And the current pandemic perfectly fits the warning Jesus gave in Luke 21:11. He said the time near His return would be characterized in part by plagues. And Covid-19 is a plague.

 

The most devastating plagues will come during the seven-year tribulation period which will take place sometime after the rapture. The first of the bowl judgments in Revelation 16 depicts a terrible pestilence. Verse 2 says, "And the first angel went and poured out his bowl into the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant sore upon the men who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image."

 

Much earlier in the tribulation, the last of the four horsemen of the apocalypse will carry pestilence as one of its elements. Revelation 6:8 says, "And I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. And authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth."

 

The second of those four horsemen will bring a global, economic depression, deeper and more horrible than any before it. Covid seems to be setting the world up for that, too. Governments all over the world have been spending wildly to keep their economies afloat during a time when their income has been greatly diminished. Tax revenues are low when businesses can't open, and people are unemployed. That means massive new budget deficits all over the planet.

 

Another feature of the new era we have entered, is a striking level of lawlessness. Crime levels are exploding all over the world. Jesus said that this, too, would be a sign of His coming.

 

Seeing these events engulf our world is at least unsettling, if not outright terrifying. But God doesn't want you to be afraid. Remember that Jesus told about these things from a perspective of hope. In Luke 21:28, He said, "When these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."