Who Will Start the First Major War Of 2023?

 Who Will Start the First Major War Of 2023? - by Michael Snyder - http://endoftheamericandream.com/who-will-start-the-first-major-war-of-2023/ Tensions are on the rise all over the planet, and global conflict will be one of the big trends that we will all be watching in 2023. And that is extremely unfortunate, becausemore global conflict won’t be good for any of us. Considering what we have been through the past several years, we could really use a time of peace. Sadly, as I write this article it appears that more war is inevitable. But where will it erupt first? In recentdays, the mainstream media has suggested several potential candidates… Will it be Serbia? Things haven’t been this tense between Serbia and Kosovo since Bill Clinton was president. There have been several alarming incidents over the past month, and now it is being reported that the president of Serbia has just raised the alert level of his military tothe “highest level of combat readiness”… As Russia’s unprovoked war in Ukraine heads towards its one-year anniversary, another European flashpoint is in danger of reigniting a second war on the continent. Kosovo was at the center of the last all out-war in Europe in the late ‘90s and tensions there have never fully dissipated. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has this week put his army on its “highest level of combat readiness” to protect ethnic Serbian areas in northern Kosovo he says are underthreat from Kosovo. Vucic says his military will “take all measures to protect our people and preserve Serbia.” But I don’t think that Serbia will be first. The major powers of western Europe are desperate to avoid a second war in their own backyard, and both sides still seem open to a diplomatic solution. Will it be North Korea? Just a few years ago, things were going so much better with North Korea. But now with Joe Biden in the White House any hope for lasting peace has gone out the window. The North Koreans have been getting increasingly aggressive, and this week they actually sent a drone almost all the way to Seoul. In response, the South Korean military “flew surveillance assets” into North Korea… South Korea’s military fired warning shots, scrambled fighter jets and flew surveillance assets across the heavily fortified border with North Korea on Monday, after NorthKorean drones violated its airspace for the first time in five years in a fresh escalation of tensions. South Korea’s military detected five drones from North Korea crossing the border, and one traveled as far as the northern part of the South Korean capital region, which isabout an hour’s drive away, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said. I think that the North Koreans were trying to probe South Korea’s defenses. If this keeps happening, South Korea is promising to “thoroughly and resolutely respond”… “Our military will thoroughly and resolutely respond to this kind of North Korean provocation,” Maj. Gen. Lee Seung-o, spokesman for the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff,said at a press briefing. Tensions along the militarized border have already been high due to Pyongyang firing off a record number of ballistic and other missiles this year, including a pair firedlast week toward Japan. With now days left in 2022, analysts have tracked over 90 missiles fired this year. Tensions on the Korean peninsula are the highest that they have been in decades, but I don’t think that this will be the first major war to erupt in 2023 either. Personally, it is my opinion that North Korea will not seriously consider an invasion of South Korea until China invades Taiwan. Will it be China? Years ago, a lot of people thought that I was nuts for warning that the U.S. and China would eventually go to war. And I could definitely understand the skepticism, because our stores are filled with goods made in China and our ties with the Chinese just kept getting tighter and tighter. But now “the Taiwan issue” has changed everything. This week, the Chinese “sent 71 planes and seven ships toward Taiwan” in just one 24 hour period… China’s military sent 71 planes and seven ships toward Taiwan in a 24-hour display of force directed at the island, Taiwan’s defense ministry said Monday, after China expressedanger at Taiwan-related provisions in a recently approved U.S. annual defense spending bill. China’s military harassment of self-ruled Taiwan, which it claims is its own territory, has intensified in recent years, and the Communist Party’s People’s Liberation Armyhas sent planes or ships toward the island on a near-daily basis. When China ultimately invades Taiwan, the U.S. and China will instantly be in a state of war. And once that happens, the flow of goods from China immediately ends. Are you prepared for that? But I don’t think that such a scenario will play out just yet. My personal opinion is that there is another major conflict that is likely to erupt even sooner. Will it be Iran? For years, Benjamin Netanyahu pledged that he would never, ever allow the Iranians to build their own nuclear weapons. Well, the IAEA claims that the Iranians are now “one technical step away” from enriching weapons-grade uranium. So it is put up or shut up time for Netanyahu. Either he takes military action or he lives with a nuclear Iran. Of course if Israel launches an attack on Iran, the Iranians will hit back extremely hard. In fact, the Iranians just threatened to raze Tel Aviv “to the ground” if Israel decides to attack… Iran has threatened to raze Tel Aviv ‘to the ground’ in a chilling video explaining how Tehran would respond to an Israeli strike on its nuclear plant. The video that the Iranians have produced actually contains “several terrifying explosions to demonstrate what would happen to Tel Aviv”… The two and a half minute video – posted by @MEMRIReports – contains violent footage of missiles going off and several terrifying explosions to demonstrate what would happento Tel Aviv. ‘This is what the first few minutes of the Iranian response will look like,’ the video explained. Once this war starts, it is going to be incredibly destructive. But I don’t think that it will start the way that most people are expecting. As they say, stay tuned for future developments. Meanwhile, I believe that things in Ukraine are about to get even more “interesting”. On Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov issued a statement that some media sources are describing as an “ultimatum”… “Our proposals for the demilitarization and denazification of the territories controlled by the regime, the elimination of threats to Russia’s security emanating from there,including our new lands, are well known to the enemy,” state news agency TASS quoted Lavrov as saying late on Monday. “The point is simple: Fulfill them for your own good. Otherwise, the issue will be decided by the Russian army.” Other Russian officials have also issued puzzling statements in recent days. Are they trying to give diplomacy one final chance before they take this war to a point of no return? Because if the Russians launch another massive invasion of Ukraine from the north, there will be no going back. The Russians continue to move more military assets into position for such a campaign, but that doesn’t mean that it will actually happen. However, if Vladimir Putin does pull the trigger there will be no hope for a peaceful solution. Meanwhile, the Russians continue to try to frame this conflict as a great battle between good and evil. In fact, a commercial has just been released that portrays VladimirPutin as a Santa Claus figure that is delivering a boy from the twisted values of the western world… Russian President Vladimir Putin has been portrayed as Santa in an anti-Western propaganda video released on the country’s social media. The film – made by a production company called Signal – depicts ‘Santa Putin’ swapping a photograph of a child’s same-sex parents for one of a mother and father, and giftingthe boy being raised as a girl a football, toy cars and a drum kit. The video feeds into Russian prejudices about Europe and the United States which have been fuelled by pro-Kremlin propagandists during the war in Ukraine to frame the conflictas a clash of values between Russia and Ukraine’s western allies. I would very much encourage you to watch the video. It will give you some insight into how the Russians really view their conflict with the west. WATCH: https://youtu.be/u3gIlyBH7dk The Russians truly consider themselves to be “the good guys”, and they believe that the western powers are an existential threat to the future of their civilization. Meanwhile, the Biden administration and the western European elite also consider themselves to be “the good guys”, and they believe that the Russians must be crushed at allcosts. Unfortunately, leaders on both sides are not exactly behaving rationally at this juncture, and this has brought us to the brink of a global war of cataclysmic proportions. In case you haven’t noticed, Russia, China, North Korea and Iran have all been deepening ties with one another. Three of them already have nuclear weapons, and Iran will be able to construct their own nukes soon. Perhaps we should pull back from the precipice before the missiles start flying. Rational leaders would be looking for a peaceful way out of this mess. Sadly, rational behavior among our leaders is in very short supply at this point.

IYKYK – If You Know You Know

 IYKYK – If You Know You Know – Pete Garcia - https://www.rev310.net/post/iykyk PART I: The Conversation You know the one I'm talking about. It might have been inserted strategically, or just came out accidentally, but you let slip your growing enthusiasm over the soon return of Jesus Christ at the Rapture of theChurch to a fellow believer. You didn't think much about it at first, given present company and a shared faith in Christ Jesus, but then the unexpected response happens. This friend or coworker immediately raises an eyebrow and gives you the "slow your roll" look. They go on to warn you that "no man knows the day or hour" verse (although theycan't quite remember where to find it in the Bible), and proceed to caution you that people have been saying Christ would return for ages and yet, we are still here. Besides they say, we should never say "soon" in association with the return of Christ because "soon" is highly subjective and we were likely to promote other believers intoeither doing irrational things or losing hope when the Rapture doesn't happen immediately. You say....come again? You go on to point out that from the world's perspective, Christians have been doing irrational things for their faith for nearly two thousand years. Things like willinglyembracing torture and martyrdom rather than denying Christ as their Lord. Things like facing frivolous lawsuits and losing their livelihoods rather than betraying their conscience. Things like losing friends and facing isolation over their incessant goings-onabout the soon return of our Lord. You know... those kinds of irrational things. They are like, no, no, no. They meant all these last days wackos selling everything they owned and moving to the mountains to wait for the Rapture or buying up billboard adsproclaiming the day. You ask them...when did these happen? Most likely they tell you they can't remember exactly when, but they are sure it happened. If they really know their history, they might mention the 'Great Disappointment'of 1844-45 or the Harold Camping charades of the recent past as evidence. You say, yeah, we should never do that because that is both foolish and unbiblical. Besides those two events are fringe outliers as compared to the many countless centuriesof believers, who, both believed Christ would return soon, and also didn't sell all their possessions, but rather, waited patiently on the Lord. They say, yeah, but 'no man knows the day or hour' again, as if repeating it was some magic bullet seemingly capable of slaying the 'rapture monster' in one shot. PART II: The Sign of Jonah Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He would show them a sign from heaven. He answered and said to them, “When it is evening you say, ‘It willbe fair weather, for the sky is red’; and in the morning, ‘It will be foul weather today, for the sky is red and threatening.’Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times. Matthew 16:1-4 This insistence on ignoring or dismissing the Rapture of the Church is not unique to your individual friends/family/peer, but to a growing majority of learned clergy who areworking overtime (it seems) in an attempt to curb their flocks' enthusiasm with regard to the Lord's return. It reminds me of that worn-out old saying we've all heard from all the prophecy-naysayers and it goes like this; My great-grand____ (fill in the relative) has been saying that the Lord was going to return since the 19_ _ (fill in the decade) and we are still here! See! Jesus isn't comingback anytime soon. He definitely will not come in our lifetime. What they mean by saying that is because it hasn't happened yet, it will never happen, at least not in their lifetime. This is called normalcy bias. The premise behind normalcybias is that because something hasn't happened yet, it is likely to never happen. The Apostle Peter deals with this line of reasoning in his second epistle: Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathersfell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished,being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 2 Peter 3:3-7 (my emphasis) It also reminds me of the attitude the Pharisees and Sadduccees had in Jesus' day. By dismissing Jesus, they were dismissing God Himself. From their perspective (and I'm notdefending it), the closest thing they had to God's man was Moses, and he had lived and died nearly fourteen hundred years earlier. After him, they had king David, who lived and died nearly a thousand years earlier. The last legit prophet they had (Malachi)had lived and died four centuries earlier. By the time John the Baptist came calling on people to repent because of the nearness of the kingdom, the Jewish leadership had long since abandoned their enthusiasm for God to do something miraculous. Be that asit may, they (the Jews) were not without excuse since Malachi (the last prophet) had given them their final message in the Tanakh (the Old Testament) concerning "the One" who would come. “Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Says the Lord of hosts. Malachi 3:1 (my emphasis) The first-century Pharisees had become so apathetic to the coming of the Messiah, that even when the gentile wise men from the east showed up en masse to worship the One "bornking of the Jews," they didn't even bother to walk the five miles with them to see for themselves if what the prophet Micah had written was true (Micah 5:2, Matthew 2). Talk about slighting God! So it was that part of John the Baptist's ministry in preparingthe way for Christ to come into His own was condemning the religious leaders of their day. In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” For this is he who was spoken of by theprophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’ ” Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the regionaround the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bearfruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me ismightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up thechaff with unquenchable fire.” Matt. 3:1-12 What gets lost in translation in our reading of the ministry of Jesus in the gospels, is the harshness in which He treats the religious leaders of His day. We read it andit seems that Jesus is being overly harsh with people who didn't understand why He came. But they had the Old Testament giving them every clue as to who He was, when He would come (I mean, the Wise Men got it right and they weren't even Jewish), what He cameto do, and even a forerunner (JTB) to prepare the way...and they still missed it. That doesn't sound like innocent ignorance on behalf of the Pharisees (supposed experts of The Tanakh). It sounds intentional. Even demonic. Therefore, it shouldn't surprise us now when reading over Jesus' miraculous works of healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, strength to the lame, speech to the dumb,and even raising the dead, that the only sign He would give them (the unbelieving Jews) was the sign of Jonah. In finishing His condemnation of them in Matthew 16, Jesus tells the Pharisees; A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” And He left them and departed. Now, the traditional view of the sign was that just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights, so too would the Son of Man be in the earth beforeresurrecting Himself from the dead (Matt. 12:40). But what if it wasn't JUST that He would share in a similar situation with Jonah, but also the message Jonah came bearing on behalf of the Lord to the Ninevites? And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day’s walk. Then he cried out and said, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” Jonah 3:4 This bears a striking resemblance to what Jesus would later prophesy and would come to pass forty years later in 70AD when the Romans sieged and sacked Jerusalem. Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now theyare hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stoneupon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” Luke 19:41-44 (my emphasis) Further tying this connection together, Christ had previously used the Ninevites as evidence of this, in that they at least understood the time of their visitation. The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.Matt. 12:41 Part III: Common Doubts After nearly two thousand years, it should be common for us mere mortals to question and wonder where God is and what He's doing. As we read in the Gospels, when Jesus' ministrybegan to manifest itself, John the Baptist's ministry began to decrease. To add insult to injury, John was arrested by Herod and scheduled for execution (Matt. 14). Somewhere in that process, even he (the greatest born among men) had his doubts. And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the deadare raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go outto see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’ “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who hasears to hear, let him hear! Matthew 11:1-15 Thus, after nearly two millennia of prophetic silence, the world has been wondering if and when Christ would ever return. From then until 1948, born-again believers have laboredand struggled under both the countless empires that have come and gone, as well as the auspices of general ignorance (not willful) regarding Christ's "soon" return. Because without Israel (God's timepiece) back in her land, it would be impossible to know wherewe (mankind) were on God's prophetic calendar. All men had were the Scriptures, and what it promised would happen. But now the Jews are back in their land for seventy-four years, and the prophetic signs are converging to the point that they are becoming so overwhelmingly obvious, no Bible-believingChristian has any excuse as to deny their existence (prophetic fulfillment), nor the timing of our upcoming visitation by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself at the Rapture of the Church (the season). So let us take a look at some of the most irrefutable signs thatwe are the final generation. Part IV: The Signs of the Fig Tree Generation It's been said that World War I prepared the land for the people (by ending the Ottoman empire's four-hundred-year control), while World War II prepared the people for theland (vis the Holocaust). While that might be an overly simplified way to look at the first half of the twentieth century, there is no denying that Israel's return to the table of nations is nothing short of miraculous. Before moving forward, here is an abbreviatedtimeline of the events that led to her geopolitical resurrection. 1897: Theodore Herzl convenes the First Zionist Congress in Basel,Switzerland 1917: The British government (seeing the tide of war turning)approves of a Jewish homeland in the former Ottoman province of Palestine. Lord Arthur Balfour conveys this decision to Lord Rothschild in what has commonly been referred to as the Balfour Declaration 1920: The San Remo Conference set the boundaries for what wouldbecome British-mandated Palestine 1947: The newly formed United Nations votes and approves (barely)Resolution 181, which authorizes a Jewish and Arab partition in what was then the British mandate of Palestine 1948: The Jewish partition declares its statehood as the nationof Israel on May 14th, 1948 1967: As a result of the Six-Day War, Israel recaptures all ofJerusalem and the Golan Heights Here is something worthy of consideration. During most of the same time that Israel spent in diaspora (from 70AD - 1948), mankind's technological progress remained unnaturallysluggish. It was as if something or Someone was slowing mankind's progress intentionally. There is an old saying that says crisis is the mother of invention. Therefore, I would consider the real explosion of technological advancements to begin at the world'sfirst great military crisis, the onset of World War I. However, even by 1914, the prophetic stirrings of putting Israel back into her ancestral homeland were already in play. However, that begs the question...why 1914? Why was mankind limited to the speed of horse for nearly six thousand years, but the moment the Jews earnestly desired to return to their desolate homeland, mankind went frominaugurating manned flight (1903) to landing on the moon a mere sixty-six years (1969)? Were humans just smarter at the outset of World War I than they were in Roman times (i.e., the same Romans who built the aqueducts and some of the greatest architectureof any age, and established legal and philosophical systems we still use today), or was there something (or Someone) at work to keep mankind's progress in check until just the right time? Again, I am reminded of something that God told Abraham in Genesis 12:3, I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” So it seems that the fate of the world is tied up in a tiny nation at the center of the world. When she wasn't in her land, the world languished. When she was in her land,the world raced forward. Save the above verse (and other verses confirming it), the fact is when Israel wasn't in her land, mankind was limited to impossibly slow technological growth. But when she is back in her land, the speed and pace are such that we cannoteven keep up. Furthermore, there is even a marked difference in the speed of technological advancements between 1897 - 1947 and from 1948 til today. Then He spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you also,when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. Luke 21:29-33 As watching believers, we already know the answer to that question. It was the Restraining influence of the Holy Spirit. He is not just restraining wickedness in the worldat present, but restraining the potential for greater wickedness through man's insatiable desire to become like gods themselves. Had the Restrainer not put boundaries in place for humans writ large, and the nations, in particular, mankind could have achievedtwentieth-century level technology presumably back in the Dark Ages. And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellingsActs 17:26 On June 28th of 1914, Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife would be brutally assassinated in the streets of Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina by the deranged Serbiannationalist Gavrilo Princip. Little did he, nor anyone else know that the untimely deaths of an obscure and relatively unassuming royal couple, would set in motion a chain of events that would go on to change the course of history forever. But God knew (Isaiah 46:9-10) From Sarajevo, World War I began, which ultimately saw the deaths of roughly forty million people, the restructuring of Europe, the collapse of two major empires (Austro-Hungarianand Ottoman), and became the casus belli for World War II. By the end of World War II, Israel had become a nation again after 1,878 years in diaspora at the same time the world formed the United Nations, and we collectively entered into the atomic age whereweapons of mass destruction (WMD) became not just the single greatest threat to humanity, but also the greatest status quo mechanism ensuring its survival (Mutually Assured Destruction). Author's Note: As my colleague, Britt Gillette has pointed out,technology is advancing so rapidly, that MAD is no longer the guarantor of the status quo. It was also during this momentous age of change that at the exact same time when mankind shifted from looking at the signs of the times to actually living through the timeof signs, the mainline churches were sleeping soundly at the helm of western Christendom. Like the Pharisees of Jesus' day, they used the silence of the previous centuries as proof positive that since God hadn't done anything in their recent past (their opinion),God would continue doing nothing in their immediate future. This is a dangerous and foolish attitude to take with God, and worthy (as we've read previously) of His stern condemnation. It is natural and normal for us to have moments of doubt about where God is in our lives and what He's doing. But God, who so carefully watches over the sparrow and the lily,and knows every star in the universe by name and every hair on your head, as well as past-present-future simultaneously, knows our fears and our limitations. He has given us Bible prophecy as a light to shine in the increasingly dark times (1 Peter 1:19).We need not fear what lies ahead, because we have God's word to us that is not only more sure than the air we breathe, but cannot fail nor ever diminish. He said heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away (Matt. 24:35). And just as John the Baptist, who came preaching repentance for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, had to decrease, so too must the Church decrease (by way of Rapture) so thatJesus can fulfill the promises made throughout Scripture to the covenant nation of Israel. God has to fulfill His promises to the Jewish nation because His word cannot fail. And as JD Farag is fond of saying, if God can break His eternal covenant with theJew, how much easier would for Him to break it with me and you? We should be ever thankful that God has not only proven Himself faithful until the uttermost but that He also longs to be with us and have us be where He is (John 14:1-3).And as our age winds down and our civilization falls apart, now is not the time to either shrink back or chase after every wild prediction that makes us weary and tired. Let us not be caught sleeping like the dead church of Sardis (Rev 3:3). Instead, let usbe resolved in our common faith and shine brighter together as we see that day approaching (Hebrews 10:25). Even as John the Baptist had his moment of doubt, assuredly, the report back from his disciples would have immediately put him at peace and confidence that Jesus was the Christ.Just as we take comfort with the Holy Spirit indwelling and sealing us, confirms what we have known all along, because, If You Know, You Know. Even so, Maranatha!

It Is Finished

 It Is Finished – Terry James - https://terryjamesprophecyline.com/2022/12/26/it-is-finished/ Have you ever, in a moment of immersion in deep thought, had a question like “When did the existence of God begin?” Or perhaps: “How could God always have existed, and howcan He exist forever?” I’ve had similar questions a number of times over my life as a Christian. Yet it isn’t with doubt, but rather with wonderment that I’ve indulged in these imponderable ponderings.The finite mind is incapable of such infinite cogitation. That is, the human brain is not able to carry out such thought to the point of securing satisfactory answers. We who are believers in Christ for salvation know that every word in the Bible is absolute truth. We can trust what is written in God’s love letter to mankind to us, His born-againchildren. John wrote the following regarding his and his fellow disciples’ closeness to Jesus during His time of ministry: That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (Forthe life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare us unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: andtruly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:1–3) So, while it is not just difficult, but impossible, to understand the questions above concerning the eternal existence of Jesus, we trust that every Word is truth. Another question along this line might be: “Did God the Father Create Jesus?” This is how we interpret naturally. Everything has a beginning–a moment of coming into existence. Every one of us had our conception, our birth. So it is a natural questionfor the human mind: “Did Jesus begin when He was born upon planet earth?” Of course, we who believe God’s Word about our Lord’s earthly incarnation know God didn’t create Jesus Christ, the Son—just as God didn’t create the Holy Spirit. All threeare, and have always been, God. They are coequal as the Triune Godhead–the Trinity. The Bible teaches that Jesus is a separate and distinct God who existed with the Father before anything was created. The Father did not create Jesus; in fact, all three –Godthe Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit—have existed from eternity past and will exist forever. I want to delve into…well…into pondering with our finite thinking the infinite matters of that most important statement in all the Scripture so far as mankind is concerned. We have just passed through another Christmas, a time when we honor the earthly incarnation –the advent/birth—of our Lord Jesus Christ. While the Apostle John was exiled by the Roman government on the Aegean Island of Patmos, Jesus gave Him a vision–the Revelation, as we know it. The following is what Johntells us he heard Jesus say to him at one point very early in the vision. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead;and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. (Revelation 1:17–18) Much later in the Revelation, Jesus said: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last” (Revelation 22:13). The Lord also said: And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 2He thatovercometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Revelation 21:6–7) Wrapped up in those powerful words is Christ’s declaration of His Godhood and eternal existence. He exclaims that He is the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and Omega. Jesus says without equivocation: “It is done!” He promises further: To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will bemy son. You see, He declares He is God and gives eternal life to all who overcome. We know, of course, that we overcome only through our absolute belief and trust in Jesus, who hasovercome the world. The Lord’s declaration, “It is done,” is the most thrilling, greatest promise of all. Since He is the Alpha and Omega–the beginning and the end—He alone can say that salvationof the believer is already done. It was done as He said while voluntarily giving up His life to death in order to rescue you and me from the penalty of sin: “It is finished!” Really, though, it was done–finished—from eternity past. God’s plan for our salvation was already in effect then, as God is outside of time. He had His plan in place backin eternity past, and it is already finished in eternity future. He chose us from the foundation of the world. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoptionof children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:4–6) When we look around us at things going on–the world seeming to fall apart—we can say along with our friend Jan Markell: Things aren’t falling apart, they are falling together.They are coming together just as our Lord said they would. Everything is right on the heavenly course for redeeming us and rejuvenating planet earth. The Rapture, too, is going to be right on time–on God’s time! And I, for one, believe it is so close we could reach out and touch it, were that possible. You don’t want tomiss it. Here again is how to make sure you are part of Jesus’ profound promise, “It is finished!” 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. For with the heartman believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9–10)

It Is Coming

 It Is Coming - By Daymond Duck - https://www.raptureready.com/2022/12/24/it-is-coming-by-daymond-duck/ On Dec. 17, 2022, it was reported that Rep. David Cicilline, a Democrat from Rhode Island, has introduced legislation to permanently bar former Pres. Trump from running forpresident again, and 40 Democrats have signed on. Cicilline is accusing Trump of orchestrating an insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021. At the time of this writing, it is debatable as to whether Cicilline’s legislation will get voted on before the new Congress takes office in 2023, but some conservatives havesaid from the beginning that the main purpose of the Jan. 6 fake show-trial was to stop Trump from being elected again. Some, including this writer, have said there is no telling what the U.S. shadow government will do to prevent making America great again (MAGA) because they want to surrenderthe sovereignty of the U.S. to the New World Order (coming world government). It was easy to see this coming, and while there is some doubt about Cicilline’s legislation getting voted on, there is no doubt in the minds of some Bible prophecy teachersthat the New World Order and the Reign of Antichrist are coming. That is what “Build Back Better” and “The Great Reset” are all about (making everyone on earth subject to a godless world government). Trump is seen as an impediment that must be permanently removed. Here are more signs that indicate that it is coming. One, concerning a peace treaty in the Middle East: on Dec. 14,2022, potential Israeli Prime Min. Netanyahu repeated his belief that an Abraham Accords normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia would lead to an agreement with all the Arab nations and eventually to peace with the Palestinians. Netanyahu said, “I intend to pursue it.” Two, concerning a peace treaty in the Middle East: on Dec. 14,2022, the European Union (EU) Parliament said, “The next Israeli government should make a clear commitment in favor of the Two-State Solution” (commit to the division of Israel, something that will trigger the Battle of Armageddon; Joel 3:2). The resolution called for a European (home of the Antichrist who will confirm a peace treaty; Dan. 9:26) to lead the peace process, and it says, “Two sovereign democraticstates living side by side in peace and guaranteed security (peace and safety; I Thess. 5:3), with Jerusalem as the capital of both states and in full respect of internal law.” Three, concerning the global energy crisis: on Dec. 16, 2022,the International Energy Agency (IEA) reported that coal demand has hit an all-time high. With winter and blackouts looming, the deliberate shortage of natural gas has caused the demand for coal to soar. One would think climate change advocates would be upset about people freezing to death, but they seem more upset by the increased use of coal. Four, concerning the U.S. economy and deceit: on Dec. 13, 2022,the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia said the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics overstated the March through June 2022 employment numbers by more than one million people. Five, with the help of 39 Republicans in the House and 12 Republicansin the Senate, Pres. Biden got his so-called “Respect for Marriage” passed. (It is really a bill to legalize immorality or gay marriage). Texas Rep. Chip Roy asked for an amendment to prevent the government from discriminating against those that believe in traditional (Biblical) marriage, but that was blocked.(So immorality is legal, and criticizing it might bring the government down on you. What is happening to freedom of speech?) Six, concerning natural disasters: during the Tribulation Period,a star will fall from heaven burning as a lamp; it will pollute a third part of the rivers and streams on earth, and many that drink them will die (the third trumpet judgment; Rev. 8:10-11). In 2022, there has been at least a dozen verifiable reports of very bright fireballs in the sky around the world (Spain, China, U.S., UK, Brazil, Portugal, India, etc.). On Dec. 18, 2022, a very bright fireball exploded over China that caused a loud boom, damaged a cement road, broke streetlights, shook and broke windows, etc. Citizens in the area gathered several suspected fragments from the fireball for the Chinese government, and one suspected fragment was more than 3 inches long and weighedabout 7 pounds. •On Dec. 17, 2022, a large freak wave struck a beach in South Africa. 3 people were killed, and 17 others were injured. •The National Weather Service is predicting that a prolonged much-below-normal, perhaps record-breaking and life-threatening, arctic front will cover a large portion of theU.S. just before Christmas, and officials are warning that power outages are a real possibility. •On Dec. 20, 2022, a 6.4 earthquake shook northern California, causing power outages, gas leaks, and widespread damage of homes. At least two people were killed, and at least11 were injured. Seven, concerning wars and rumors of wars: on Dec. 15, 2022, itwas reported that Russia has loaded its second nuclear missile into a silo (the missile is reportedly capable of carrying 15 nuclear warheads) and threatened to fire it on London in the UK if Ukraine attacks Russian territory. On Dec. 19, 2022, it was reported that Henry Kissinger said a nuclear war caused by Ukraine is imminent. (My opinion:I do not believe Russia will use nuclear weapons against the UK, U.S., or any NATO nation. That would start a nuclear war that would do incredible damage to everyone, including Russia. According to the Bible, Russia’s military will be destroyed on the mountainsof Israel, not in Ukraine or Russia.) Eight, concerning pestilences and the globalist desire to reducethe population of the earth: every day, there are reports of increased deaths around the world that are caused by mRNA Covid-19 jabs. Autopsies are finding inflammation of the heart arteries, blood clots that blocked and obstructed arteries, etc., to a greater degree in people that have been jabbed thanin people that have not been jabbed. On Dec. 17, 2022, it was reported that a Rasmussen Poll of 1,000 U.S. citizens on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, 2022, found that 56% said they had no side effects, 34% said they hadminor side effects, 7% said they had major side effects, and 4% said they were not sure if they had any side effects from taking the jab. (The numbers were rounded off and may explain why the total comes up to over 100%.) Other reports have found similar results, and the fact that 7% of the U.S. citizens that were surveyed reported major side effects is incredibly high. (Note:Some officials believe the situation is worse than reported because Rasmussen could not poll deceased citizens.) Nine, concerning the distress of nations: on Dec. 19, 2022, Israel’sIntelligence Ministry issued an assessment of world events that will be coming over the next 10 years. The Jerusalem Post obtained a copy of the report and said, “The world is at a transition point analogous to being on the verge of a cliff, after which a series of crises strikingsimultaneously will reorder the planet’s geopolitics, the place of technology, the economic order and a variety of other disciplines from health to energy.” (My opinion:I have been writing that globalists are transitioning the world into a world government by 2030 or sooner, and they are deliberately creating crises, food shortages, energy shortages, economic problems, etc., and the technology to bring it about. Some prophecyteachers also believe they will soon propose solutions that will give them more power and eventually enslave everyone on earth. This Israeli intelligence report confirms the opinion that a transition is taking place.) Ten, concerning the division of Israel: on Dec. 19, 2022, it wasreported that the new government of Israel will be installed in the next 2-3 days. World leaders (including the UN, EU, and the Biden administration) are going out of their way to warn the new conservative Israeli government not to annex settlements or changethe status quo on the Temple Mount, and more. They want to divide Israel and Jerusalem, and they are pressuring Israel to agree to it. The Bible clearly teaches that dividing Israel and Jerusalem will trigger the Battle of Armageddon (Joel 3:2). Eleven, concerning corruption and election fraud: on Dec. 20,2022, it was reported that the FBI paid twitter $3.4 million to censor stories the government did not like. The FBI was illegally influencing the election by censoring and lying about posts such as Hunter Biden’s Laptop from Hell. They had Biden’s laptop and knew the information was true but made up the story and lied about it being Russian disinformation. The shadow government was using Twitter to determine who will hold office in the U.S. because world government is a goal of the U.S. America is being weakened and betrayed from within. (Note:They also lied about Pres. Trump and the Russian collusion story. I seem to remember that that lie cost the American taxpayers about $40 million. Congress should have already done something about it, but the Democrats have controlled all three branches ofgovernment, and some of them were colluding with the FBI. Trump got elected to “drain the swamp,” but he did not know how polluted it was, and he could not get it done.) Twelve, concerning famine and food shortages: this week, a readersent me a link to a video of Glenn Beck interviewing Carol Roth (author, TV pundit, radio host, and more). Roth said the Netherlands is the second largest food producer in the world (second only to the U.S.). Roth reminded viewers that those that control the food can control the people. The government is deliberately putting farmers and ranchers out of business in the Netherlands, and Beck said he thinks this is “the biggest threat to all of us because itwill lead to global starvation.” Beck added that this is coming to the U.S. and Canada and that the WEF said, “We will redesign how we produce and consume food from the seed to the fork.” Therefore, the government of Netherlands is cutting the use of fertilizer, limiting how many cows people can own, buying thousands of acres of farmland and taking it out ofproduction, etc. Deliberate food control, mass starvation, and population control is coming. Canada is already reducing the amount of fertilizer farmers can use. The U.S. is buying land out west, paying farmers to not farmland, and stopping farmers from grazing cattle on some federal land. Here is a link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpuEfvzDZb8 Thirteen, concerning world government: on Dec. 20, 2022, The NewAmerican posted an excellent article by William F. Jasper about the 2022 UN Biodiversity Conference in Montreal, Canada, on Dec. 7-19, 2022. It was a regular meeting of climate change extremists who are determined to save Mother Earth (the planet) from natural disasters (rising sea levels, floods, droughts, wildfires,etc.) supposedly created by man’s pollution and excessive consumption. Jasper reported that they agreed to four goals called the 30-by-30 (or 30X30) Initiative: •By 2030, they will protect (forbid people to use) 30% of the world’s land, water, and marine areas. •By 2030, they will raise at least (perhaps more) $200 billion per year to fund biodiversity causes. •By 2030, they will reduce subsidies by at least (perhaps more) $500 billion to entities that are harming nature. •By 2030, developed countries will give developing countries at least (perhaps more) $30 billion per year for biodiversity causes. Jasper points out that the real objective is power for them to reset (transform) the world (and everyone on it) according to their agenda, morals, etc. (the agenda, morals,etc., of “Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”). He reminded readers that Pres. Biden signed an Executive Order on Jan. 27, 2021, that commits the U.S. to conserve (not allow mining, farming, drilling for oil, etc.) at least30% (perhaps more) of U.S. lands and waters by 2030. Here is a link to Jasper’s extremely important report. https://thenewamerican.com/un-biodiversity-summit-concludes-with-agreement-to-save-mother-earth-by-taxing-and-shackling-humanity/ Finally, are you Rapture Ready? If you want to be rapture ready and go to heaven, you must be born again (John 3:3). God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believethat Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this. duck_daymond@yahoo.com

The Entire World Is Shaking Its Fist At God

 Days Of Noah: The Entire World Is Shaking Its Fist At God – ByTim Moore - https://harbingersdaily.com/days-of-noah-the-entire-world-is-shaking-its-fist-at-god/ Jesus said that in the end days the world would return to being like the days of Noah. We have certainly arrived because we are thwarting God’s design at every turn. Whatdo I mean by that? Today, I want to talk about God’s admission that in the end days the world would become like the days of Noah. That reference comes from Matthew 24:37. We recognize that Jesusis saying that in the end days men will be evil and evil will be multiplied all over the earth. We can also recognize that in the days of Noah that everyone except Noah and his family was in complete rebellion against God. Let’s look back to the beginning of human history, even before the era of Noah, and look at how God laid out His plan for mankind, particularly His unveiling of the distinctionsbetween Himself and His creation, meaning the created order. We could go all the way back to Genesis 1:1 where it says, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”. The Lord Himself provided this distinction between God as the Creator and thecreated order. Moving forward into Genesis 1:26-28, He declared a distinction between humanity and the animal kingdom. He said, “Let’s make man in our own image… and let him have dominionover all the rest of the animal kingdom.” Then God created woman to be a helpmate for man (Gen. 2:18). And so, man and woman were created to be co-equal in the eyes of God, both made in the image of God, but distinctin terms of their biological sexes. In terms of relationships, God established marriage as a union between one man and one woman. It would serve to be a distinct relationship different from all of the other relationships that man would have. Men and womenhave relationships with their pets and animals. They have relationships with friends. They have relationships with groups. But, there is something special about a man and woman coming together in marriage as ordained by God. And yet, in our day, we have come to find ourselves living in the days of Noah in terms of an immoral world and degraded society. People are rejecting God as Creator sayingthere’s no outside entity that created all of the known universe. They are rejecting man as being special and apart from all of the animal kingdom. Too many times today we hear people claim that man is just an animal. They deny that mankind has been made inthe image of God. Worst of all, we now have many people hell-bent on destroying the idea of man and woman being two distinct sexes — two biological kinds created by God. Men and women are complementaryto one another but unique and separate. Added to that lie, there’s a whole wave of people who have denigrated the institution of marriage. True, that has been happening for many years, but now our society has almosttotally denied God’s establishment of the ordination of marriage as a union of a man and a woman. Folks, our society has devolved back to Romans 1! The entire world is shaking its fist at God and rebelling, just as fallen humanity did back in the days of Noah. Weigh these four distinctions I’ve just gone through: 1. Godas distinct and separate from His created order. 2. Manas distinct and separate from all of the other creatures that God created. 3. Manand woman as separate and distinct from one another; complimentary and created in the image of God, and yet separate and distinct. 4. Thatspecial relationship ordained by God of a man and woman coming together in marriage to be unified for the obvious purpose of producing children. Those are the established distinctions of God, and we would be wise to heed them even in our day and age. I know our culture is going to push back. The secular culture isshaking its fist at God and in complete rebellion. But, those who know God — those who have eyes to see and ears to hear and are discerning — have to determine to stand on the Word of God and recognize and appreciate those distinctions. We should be praising our all-loving Heavenly Father for the distinctions He has made. May He be praised and glorified in your life today.

Warning from the Modern Watchman

 Warning from the Modern Watchman - by Pastor Mike Taylor - https://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2022/12/by-pastor-mike-taylor-1-word-of-lord.html 1 “Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set himfor their watchman: 3 If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people; 4 Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head. 5 He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul. 6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken awayin his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.” (Ezekiel 33:1-6) We are in unsettled times. Dark clouds are gathering and danger is all around us. As it was in the days of Israel and Ezekiel was called to be a watchman of their spiritualcondition, so today God has set up men who will warn His people of the coming dangers in their world, either spiritual and/or physical. In the history of the Israel, the people would appoint a man to stand guard on the wall towers, or along the wall and he would scan the horizon for signs of danger. He wasthe ancient idea of a first warning system. When an enemy was spotted making advances on the city, the watchman would sound an alarm. It could be his voice calling out, or could be blasts of a trumpet, or a striking of a large gong. Whatever was used, it wasdesigned to give the people first hand warning of impending danger and give them time to prepare for the coming advance on their city. Today, as times have changed, so too have the methods of warning the people of impending danger. To reach as many peopleas possible, the best method is use of the internet. This warning system can spread to all corners of the globe and to those who will listen, give them an advance warning of the coming disaster. In this era of the last days of modern history before the coming of the tribulation, men stand on the proverbial wall and scan the news of the day, the signs of impendingdanger that threatens all of us, and then send out warnings based on a solid foundation of events foretold in the only true predictor of human events to come, your bible. A DANGEROUS WORLD Everyone knows that danger is in the air, if they have their senses alert. They feel it, they see it, and they even smell it. This sense of something big is about to happenis coming from all avenues of life on this planet including the secular humanist, the man on the street, especially the awake Christian, and every human being that sees the conditions of this dying world. Everyone has their feelings of dread and fear whatis coming upon the population of earth. The only portion of humanity that has a handle on what is coming, is the bible believing Christian, as they have the playbook right in front of them and they know how the history of mankind is played out to it's divinelyappointed conclusion. The rest are in confusion and fear grips their minds or embrace a false hope. Jesus gave us the signs of the coming of the Son of Man in the clouds of heaven and spoke of the conditions that will be the first signs of His impending return. Matthew 24gives us a play by play of those signs. But let us explore how this passage is being enacted right before our very eyes, in real time. Let us take portions of this passage and see how it is being fulfilled in our eyes and ears. Begin in Verse 4: 4 “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.” (Matthew 24:4-5) How many men have proclaimed to be the chosen one, the Messiah? You say, many and you would be right. From Jim Jones, David Koresh, Sun Myung Moon, to individuals whose followersclaimed them to be the messiah coming from Jewish, Christian, and even Muslim sects. All are leading up to one man, when the world is in ultimate chaos and they look for someone to make sense of this world and give them some type of “hope”. This ultimate evilruler is known as the Anti-Christ. HOPE AND CHANGE?? What gives me pause was the advancement of an unknown political figure, a junior senator from Illinois, that came out of no where and became president of the United States.I don't mean this to be a political piece, but we must understand that a man will arise that will fulfill what Jesus said. Many believed that Obama was the prophesied “man of sin”? I don't know as I don't have evidence that he is or was, but I believe he isa precursor if nothing else. Obama embodies the level men and women will give their allegiance to one man and blindly follow him. Many have called this man, the “black messiah” that has come to liberate his people and the African-American community has beenlooking for such a man for 200 years. I was reading an article that caught my attention and the details put me back in my chair of a man by the name of Paul Robeson. Doesn't ring a bell? Neither did it me, until I saw the connection to previously labeled Mr.Hope and Change. Here is the excerpt of that article: “Paul Robeson was called the “Great Forerunner” (of the black messiah to come). For a time it was thought that he could be the prophesied, black messiah, who has been anticipatedin the black community for 200 years or longer, a mystical leader, who would overturn the satanic white system and liberate the blacks of the world. Robeson was the mentor of Frank Marshall Davis, Obama’s own mentor. For this reason it is believable that Davis put the idea of the mystical black messiah in Obama’s headat a very early age. He had contacts via Paul Robeson to people, who could provide funds and help advance Obama in his education and in politics. It was no accident that Obama joined Jeremiah Wright’s church which has a black liberation doctrine, based ona black messiah, who would be an ordinary man.” How else can we explain the sudden meteor like rise of an unknown junior senator from Illinois, the lack of facts surrounding his background, the sealed documents of his schooling,selective service, and even his birth certificate that came into question? Now, I'm not into conspiracy theories, but the facts surrounding this man are most troubling to even a casual observer that has their ears and eyes open and not “drinking the Kool-Aid”. The main stream media had nearly deified this man in their zeal for their liberal philosophy and may be playing into a nefarious plan to bring America to embrace social justice, a buzz word for spread the wealth around …AKA Fascism. What is Fascism? On page218 of author Robert Paxton's ground-breaking book, "The Anatomy of Fascism", Paxton defines Fascism as, "...a form of political behavior marked by obsessive preoccupation with community decline, humiliation, or victim-hood and by compensatory cults of unity,energy, and purity, in which is a mass-based party of committed nationalist militants..." Therefore, Fascism is an extremist ideology. Is this where America is heading? Now Obama is no longer President, but he lurks in the background with his “deep state” cohorts trying to sabotage anything that benefits this country. JESUS FURTHER WARNED Let us go on with what Jesus spoke of further into these verses:6 “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must cometo pass, but the end is not yet.7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.(Matthew 24:6-8) You say there have always been conflicts in our history, and the history of the world. Correct, except for one thing, not to the extent that has been our history in the last100 years. I wrote a sermon on that very fact of the amount of people who have died in wars in the last 100 years compared to all of human history that is recorded. It is known that over 250 million people have died in just the last 100 years or the populationroughly ¾ of the USA. That's more than all of recorded human history combined. But this is just the beginning. I went on to say that in the pages of the book of Revelation, God reveals and numbers the amount of the slain to be 2/3 of all mankind or roughly5 billion people at the end of the age called the Tribulation. Makes the last 100 years of the war dead pale in comparison, doesn't it? That's 20 times the amount killed in the last 100 years in only 7 SHORT years. Can you smell the loss of life? If you witnessit, you most undoubtedly will. Folks, the wars being fought now, are just the warming up for the carnage that is coming. We read or hear nightly of the dangers of a Middle East conflict involving Iran and Israel and possibly sending the world into WWIII. Notto mention the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It's not a possibility, it's a fact that will be played out, just as the bible spoke about and will happen in the future sooner than any of you may want. Even now a general in the Iranian army says that they haveenough firepower to destroy Israel completely. And you see the build-up of forces from Turkey, Iran and Russia coming ever closer to the Golan Heights preparing for an “invasion”? Can you say Gog-Magog war brewing? NATURAL DISASTERS INCREASING. What about famines and pestilences? Have we ever seen the amount of drought, loss of crops, and natural disasters that we have seen in the good ole' USA that we have seenin the last 10 years that has been growing in intensity since the mid 60s? America has by history been the bread-basket of the world, but we may be fast approaching being unable to feed the world, let alone ourselves. What happened in the mid 60s? Oh, yeah,we ended, by Supreme Court decree of the right of prayer in our schools brought about by a lawsuit by an atheist known as Madelyn O'Hare. We have been ever more kicking out our Creator from the halls of the government ever since. A nation that was foundedupon the principles found in our bibles embodied in the Ten Commandments has steadily become more and more secular and abandoning our founding principles. How about earthquakes? The earth is violently shaking to the point that a day doesn't go by that youdon't hear about another quake and loss of life. Like a pregnant woman, the birth pains are drawing closer and closer. Then you hear the prediction that if the Yellowstone Cauldron Volcano erupts, not if, but when, then it would destroy most of the USA byimpact and the famine it will produce. As the USA has become more and more a nation with a government that defends every conceivable deviate notion of live and let live, we have entered into the age of “tolerance” that only come from one place, demon and satanic inspiration. In the last 50 years, what have we done, or should I say allowed into our land? First came the misguided “separation of church and state” which is not found in our constitution or bill of rights,then Roe V. Wade that made it legal to kill an unwanted child. The Supreme Court granted evil men and women to have illicit sex without the fear of raising a child, which could be conveniently and without remorse, aborted in the beginning of the gestationalperiod. Oh, but we didn't stop there, as it evolved into partial birth abortion that allows a “doctor” (sic) to either severe the spinal cord of a half birthed baby from the mother's womb or stab it in the back of the head and suck out it's brains before itis fully delivered....We have destroyed in this nation a full generation of tax paying citizens that deserved the right to live. How dare we say we need entitlement reform, when what we needed was a transformation of the heart to prevent such an atrocity tobe perpetuated in the first place. God help us, as we have become an abomination in the sight of God for killing our children. There was another time and place where God pronounced judgment on a people such as ours: 4 “Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it unto other gods, that they knew not, they and their fathers and the kings ofJudah; and have filled this place with the blood of innocents, 5 and have built the high places of Baal, to burn their sons in the fire for burnt-offerings unto Baal; which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind: 6 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of slaughter. 7 And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place; and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hands of them that seektheir lives: and their carcases will I give to be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.” (Jeremiah 19:4-7) This was the disgusting practice of appeasing a pagan god by giving their little ones, sons and daughters to be burned in the fires of an idol. Have we not done the same?Has this nation killed their sons and daughters in the name of their pagan god, “sexual immorality” and lust of the flesh? We all know it has been done to the tune of 60+ Million of potential USA citizens whose only crime was their right to be born. Let's us not forget those who wish to be a privileged class amongst us!! I speak of the homosexual crowd. Since the beginning of ancient history, there has been evil amongus. God has shown His disgust and condemnation of those who practice this deviate lifestyle. When God came to Abraham during the time of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and it's surrounding cities, the sin was mainly the sin of homosexuality. Genesis, 4 “But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house; 5 and they called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them." (sexual perversion of the same sex)”(Genesis 19:4-5) It's quite possible that disease was rampant among these people because of their sin, the bible doesn't say, but it would be in line with what has happened in our own societyin the scourge of AIDS. God wiped the earth of these people with fire and brimstone that could be correlated to what a nuclear blast would be like...it was complete. Paul speaks of this abomination in Romans, 24 “Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving inthemselves that recompence of their error which was meet............ 32 “Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” (Romans 1:24_27,32) Even from ancient times, homosexuality was condemned by God along with sexual uncleanness: Leviticus, 21 “ And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD. 22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.(Leviticus 18:21-22) Does that not describe our culture and it's “tolerant” view of this change to human existence? Of course it does. Jesus goes on to warn of the sign of the end of days, Matthew, 12 “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. 15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” (Matthew 24:12-21) Most all of these signs have been fulfilled. The love of a neighbor, or fellow human being is non-existent. More so in other countries, as women and children are viewed ascattle and expendable, but we are just as guilty here in other ways as they are. The murder rate is exponentially increasing. Men destroy other men financially, emotionally, physically, and ultimately spiritually. Jesus said that the gospel will be preachedin all the world, THEN the end would come. In the age of technology, the use of satellite TV and more importantly, the internet, the Gospel has reached the four corners of this world. No one who is listening and willing to repent, has failed to hear the name,Jesus Christ and the coming Kingdom of God. In the last part of what Jesus warned, comes the warning to Israel, the only part starting in verse 15, that is still future, as I have many times advocated that Jesus was speaking to Israel in particular and thefocus of the coming tribulation is bringing that nation to the realization and acceptance of their Messiah, Jesus Christ. WHAT TIME IS IT? But back to what I started. I believe this country is scheduled for judgment. That judgment has been slowed due to the administration that we had, because of Trump being anationalist instead of “One World Advocate” and is reported to have been saved by the leading of an Evangelist that prayed with him and other ministers laid their hands upon him and confessed Jesus Christ as Savior. It is why the left and the leftist mediahate him so much..He is stood in their way...Otherwise, although we may have received a short reprieve from judgment, it has been coming on for a generation or more. No nation in all of the annals of history has been so mired in the sins of the flesh, thathas not had the judgment of God come down about their heads. The USA was an idea like no other in all of history. In a sea of human suffering, men who put their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor on the line for freedom to speak their mind, to worshipor not to worship the God of the Bible, and to be responsible for their own destiny as found in the opening lines of our Declaration of Independence. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creatorwith certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” formed this republic called the United States of America. What can we do? Much like Israel and other nations who turned away from God, maybe not much as there comes a time when God's patience wears out and He passes judgment andthe sentence is carried out. When it comes past the time of delaying judgment, God's will may be set and it will come to pass. Can I say that it is too late for America? No, I'm not a prophet, only a watchman sending out a warning who sees what is happeningand am sounding the alarm to any and all who will listen. We as citizens of this country, and citizens of the coming Kingdom of God in the near future, must stand for righteousness. We cannot stand silent and by our silence condone what we know is againstthe laws of Almighty God. We look at the political climate that affects all our lives and wonder what has become of our government and our God given freedoms? Is this not what we sent our elected officialsto do in our name? Are not our elected representatives there for us, not for themselves or their own lust for power? IS AMERICA TO BE DESTROYED? I was truly saddened by the debacle that was displayed by the party of Truman, Roosevelt, and Kennedy at a prior Democratic (sic) convention. It seems the “party of the people” is now populated with atheist, Muslims, and secular humanist liberals who have a disdain for their Creator. How can any Christian support a political entity that takes three voice votes on if God should or should not be part of the language of the party platform?If you saw the proceedings, you know that 2/3 voice vote was not achieved to ratify the words God and Jerusalem, the latter as the capital of Israel. I believe that at least half of the party delegates are anti-God and antisemitic. This party has added totheir platform language positions that support abominations that I have just covered. This is on top of where our country is economically, politically, and ultimately spiritually. Economically, we have been at the cliff's edge. The stock market is at an alltime high, but everyone knows that it sits on a very inflated bubble. Collapse could happen at any moment. It could get really hard to feed your family, or yourself. Marshall law could be enacted to bring order of the resulting chaos of people looking outfor #1 and riots like in Greece could develop. Things could get really dicey, really quick. A LEADER PLACED BY GOD FOR JUDGEMENT So what have we got to look forward to in the next two years or beyond, if we have that kind of time before Jesus Christ burst through the clouds and says, “come up hither”? If you look at the last administration, I expect more of the same or worse. There is no doubt in my mind that the job Mr. Obama wished to finish, or the final nail in the coffin that was the United States of America that we have grown up with. I believe thatis what he means when he said “Forward”or Economic reset"which is a Marxist slogan of days gone by. If it comes to pass, gone will be our freedoms we have enjoyed. Gone will be our right to speak our mind. Gone will be the ability to worship as we choose.And gone will be our rights given to us by God, but replaced with the government who knows all, sees all, and controls all. It is all falling into place. We are being invaded right now, by illegal immigration and those who are bringing diseases into this countryin the name of “amnesty”. There is a big push for a physical wall to protect this country from this southern invasion. What president would allow an invasion of our country by executive order, all for political gain to swell the ranks of his party and destroythe American dream? Obama sure tried, and Trump is trying to push it back, but those in Congress that used to want a border wall, now are against it, because Trump was for it. What president in the past upholds the right to destroy human life through abortion and claims to be a Christian? What man, be he president or the common Joe, embraces everysecular humanist philosophy known to man and claims to be a proponent of the Bible's clear teachings? You can put lipstick on a pig, but it doesn't make him a Christian pig. This big brother government has attempted to muzzle the religious community by enforcingby intimidation a law called the “Johnson Amendment” passed in 1954 by voice vote, that prohibited the right of Christian pastors to speak politically in the pulpit. I, for one, won't be silenced. (Praise God, our POTUS signed a religious freedom act to protectour God given rights) As men ordained by God, pastors must stand for what is right in this country. Who do we follow, God or man? After all, this is not Iran, yet! America could very well be in the throes of judgment right now. Have you ever seen the likeof natural disasters that have come upon our own land from the West, into the Midwest, and up into the Northeast down to the Gulf? We’ve all seen things get pretty crazy before, but not to the extent we have seen in the last, say 10 years. It seems to me,that our nation has gone near stark, raving crazy in it’s lunacy surrounded by natural disasters. Until that time comes when Jesus breaks through the clouds with a trumpet call, all we can do is be in faith and believe Psalm 91 and it’s promises of protectionand continue the work Jesus proclaimed us to do, in His Name. ISRAEL IS AGAIN FRONT AND CENTER IN PROPHECY The political climate is near ripe for the coming of the lawless one. We see Israel and the Palestinians right now, fighting a long overdue war from Gaza and Israel believesit has a right to defend herself from non-stop salvos of missiles being fired at their citizens. Or the trouble at the Gaza border trying to invade the country...Or the push for a two state solution that the Arabs do not want. The only thing Abbas and hiskind want is to push Israel into the sea and drown them. I hear many pundits calling on Israel to stop “war crimes” against humanity. What other country, and especially here in the USA, would allow missiles to rain down on their citizens? Would we tolerateMexico or Canada doing the same as Hamas? No, we would not tolerate it, and invasion would be imminent against the perpetrators for this act of war. Human rights bleeding hearts and the lame stream media fail to realize that Hamas started the fights, and Ipray Israel finishes them with God's help. I read just the other day, that many of the surrounding nations are considering coming to assist and fight alongside Hamas in this Gaza conflict….if that happens, can yousay Psalm 83 that is prophesied that Israel will destroy those who come against them in a siege to remove them as a nation and as a people? Read the passage and judge for yourself. With God’s help, (behind the scenes for the moment), Israel will be victoriousand it is promised that they will own or conquer land from the great river in Egypt to the Euphrates to the east and north into Syria and south into Arabia….It will be the only time that Israel can claim to be in safety and security when their surroundingenemies are neutralized. How long will that security last? Will it be two years, ten years, or will it be less. If Israel is allowed to control their own economy and expand their discovery of natural gas and oil, they will own a majority of all oil producingwells in the world, plus billions of metric tons of natural gas to be exported to Europe and the surrounding Middle East. Who is the major supplier of natural gas for that population now? That would be Russia, the old Soviet Bear is rising in the region andwill it allow a major competitor into their territory? Can you say Ezekiel 38-39? AGAIN, WHAT TIME IS IT? Readers, how much time do we have? A week, a year, two years, or maybe a little longer? God only knows, but Jesus said “Occupy till I come”Luke 19:13b. We must be about ourFather's business, and that extends to our obligation to promote what is right in our own lives, our community, our town/city, and by extension to our country reaching as many as we can with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We cannot be silent. We cannot standidly by and say there is nothing we as God's people can do. In all things, exercise your individual convictions based on your only source of truth, God's Holy Word. Time is running out for salvation for your neighbor, your family member, or even yourself tomake a decision for Jesus Christ. When America falls, you may just look around and wonder where everyone went? I for one, will be at a marriage feast. Till then I plan to fight the good fight and stand for up for righteousness...won't you join me? We are at the very end of the Age of man's rule of this planet, as Jesus proclaimed that when these things begin...that's BEGIN to happen, then... 28 “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. 29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; 30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. 31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. 32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.” (Luke 21:28-32) As I have spoken of many times, Israel is the door to end time prophecy and Jerusalem is the door. Jesus said the generation that saw Israel reborn in 1948 will still be alivewhen Jesus breaks through the clouds and cries, “Come up hither” and we will be changed in the twinkling of an eye. That generation according to Psalm 90 was completed last year, as Israel turned 73 years old as a nation again. The outside is 80 years by strength,so how much longer will Jesus tarry? No predictions allowed, but it reveals just how close we actually are to the end of this age, known as the Church Age, and the beginning of the Tribulation. We see all this happening around us now. And ask you, ARE YOU READY for the return of our Savior and King, Jesus Christ? It could happen at any moment. Don't be caught bysurprise and drowning in your own sins without forgiveness or repentance. How must you be ready? Two short passages give you the way to be ready to meet the Lord in the air, what we call the rapture... 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.” (John3:16-18) AND.......... 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) There are many other verses that address your lost condition, but these two passages give you the recipe to find forgiveness of your sins, and become a child of God. Don'twait, for as a minister that sees the landscape forming for the coming of our Lord.....remember these words again. 28 “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” (Luke 21-28) This is Pastor Mike Taylor praying God's salvation comes into your life through Jesus Christ our Lord. If you need counseling, prayer, or just a friendly ear, email me at orvisit me online at pastormiktaylor@yahoo.com. for more biblical lessons from the Word of God. God bless you all, till we meet at Jesus feet. ---------------------------- The World Will Continue To Deteriorate – By Amir Tsarfati - https://harbingersdaily.com/worldview-with-amir-tsarfati-the-world-will-continue-to-deteriorate/ This past week, former Russian President and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev released a list of his predictions for 2023. In this wild catalog of speculation, he included eventslike the collapse of the EU, the creation of a Fourth Reich, war in Western Europe, civil war in the US, and Texas seceding and forming an allied state with Mexico. While this may be Medvedev’s grown-up Christmas list, I’m not quite as pessimistic as he is.However, neither am I optimistic about what is coming in this next year. For all the difficulties that the globe has seen in this past year, I believe that 2023 will be much worse. I know that this is hard for some Christians to understand. Many have been deceived by bad theology and are waiting for a golden age of righteousness to be ushered in by thechurch. That’s not going to happen. The golden age of righteousness will come, but it will not be established by Christians but by Christ Himself when He returns with the church following the seven horrific years of the tribulation. Because I know throughthe Bible what God has planned, I can be pessimistic for the world, while, at the same time, being optimistic for those who have received Jesus as their Savior and Lord. The earth will continue to deteriorate, as will the world’s cultures. But the day is comingsoon when our Messiah, Jesus, will come in the clouds to receive His church unto Himself. Lord, hasten the day when we will see our Savior face to face! Israeli Government Sworn in Thursday Benjamin Netanyahu was once again sworn in as Prime Minister of the State of Israel today. Finally, the debacle of the previous “government of change” can be relegated tothe dustbin of history. This 37th government of Israel will be the most conservative that the nation has ever had. The small but loud, media-backed LGBTQ movement is prepared to protest all acrossthe country. Netanyahu will have much work ahead righting many of the wrongs left by the previous administration. Thankfully, he will have a strong economy in which to work. The Economist just ranked Israel number four on their list of the best economies in the world. While there arecertainly social and domestic issues on Netanyahu’s plate, the number one concern that he will have to deal with is stopping Iran from becoming a nuclear nation. As Netanyahu has already said, “Our main goal will be to thwart Iran’s nuclear arsenal.” Ukrainian Drones Hit Russian Airbase For the second time this month, a Ukrainian drone hit Engels airbase 600 km inside Russia on Monday. A control center was the target and three Russian servicemen were killedin the attack. Interestingly, the New York Times reported that US forces are helping Ukraine attack sites where Iranian drones are hosted and launched from. Does this mean that the US just assisted in a strike on an important Russian airbase? Putin Claims to Want to End the “War” In comments to reporters, Russian President Vladimir Putin hinted at a desire to end the fight with Ukraine, saying, “Our goal is not to spin the flywheel of military conflict,but, on the contrary, to end this war.” What caught the attention of pundits around the world was not the irony of the primary aggressor claiming a goal of peace. Instead, it was that this was the first time thatPutin is on record calling the conflict a “war” rather than a “special military operation.” Critics immediately pounced claiming he should be prosecuted in the same way others have been for using this censored word. The Kremlin was quick to say that it was simply a slip of the tongue, much like accidentally uttering the word “water” instead of “clear, wet liquid” and “dog” instead of “four-legged, slobbery canine”. Russia Demands Ownership of Three Churches on Mount of Olives Former Russian Prime Minister Sergei Stepashin has submitted a claim to the Israeli courts in behalf of the Kremlin for ownership of three churches on the Mount of Olives. The Russians claim that the Church of Mary Magdalene, The Chapel of the Ascension, and the Viri Galilaei Church belong to them. President Putin also made an earlier demandfor control of the Alexander Nevsky Church in the Old City of Jerusalem. Stepashin is accusing Israel of unnecessarily delaying the process, saying, “We worked for five years to obtain all historical documents for our claim, but since everythingthat happened in Ukraine, Israel is avoiding the matter. Russia will pressure Jerusalem to gain control of the property.” Serbia Builds Up Military on Kosovo Border Claiming a concern for the protection of Serbs in Kosovo, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic ordered his interior minister to place the nation’s security troops to the “fullstate of combat readiness”. Serbia has never recognized the independence of the republic that broke away from it in 2008, and has recently been building up its troops and weapons along the shared border. Tensions have been growing in Kosovo between ethnic Serbs and Kosovars since the beginning of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. NATO has been backing the Kosovo government,while Putin is siding with Vucic which is just adding to the mess. Shooting in Paris Leads to Rioting A 69-year-old man, who had recently been freed while awaiting trial for a saber attack at a Paris migrant camp, targeted members of Paris’s Kurdish community, killing threeand wounding four others. This led to three days of rioting by Kurds in Paris and other French cities, claiming that the gendarmerie is not doing enough to protect them against racially based attacks. North Korean Drones Breach South Korean Airspace When North Korea sent five of its drones into South Korean airspace on Monday, the South’s military scrambled warplanes and attack helicopters to meet the breaching UAVs.Unfortunately, the only aircraft that went to the ground was one of South Korea’s KA-1 light aircraft. Despite one of the drones making it all the way to Seoul, not one UAV was taken down. Tuesday saw the South Korean military apologizing to the nation for its colossal failure and promising to do better next time. Iran Threatens to Knock Ukraine Back to Pre-Industrial Times The war of words between Iran and Ukraine is heating up. Despite pieces of Iranian-made drones being found in Ukraine, Tehran still denies they’ve supplied them to Russia. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani went so far as to threaten the Ukrainian president, saying, “Mr. Zelenskyy had better know that Iran’s strategic patienceover such unfounded accusations is not endless.” Then, after Mikhail Podolyak, an adviser to President Zelenskyy, called for the destruction of Iran’s defense enterprises, Iranian journalist Reza Abbasi responded, “The slightestaction that threatens the security of the Iranian people will return Kyiv to the pre-industrial era…. This is not a threat; this is a warning.” Iran’s Strategy of Nuclear Weapons and Cyberterrorism Zohar Palti, former head of Israel’s Defense Ministry’s political-military bureau and former intelligence director in the Mossad, warned that Iran is days to weeks away fromenriching uranium to the 90% military grade level. He said that this “does not mean they can immediately build a nuclear weapon… but it’s very bad, and we’ve never been closer to it.” The lack of delivery technology for Irancould be getting a boost from Russia due to the growing military collaboration between the two nations. Russia gets drone technology and manufacturing from Iran, while Iran gets nuclear missile technology from Russia. Meanwhile, the head of the Mossad, David Barnea, chastised the West for its continued attempts to negotiate a halt to Iran’s nuclear ambitions. He said that Iran’s true intentionscan be seen in their continued nuclear development even as they say they are conferring. Their duplicity is also seen in their continuous terrorist attacks against Israel, including cyberattacks that are being dealt with by Israel on a daily basis. Middle Eastern Economies Collapsing The economies of many nations in the Middle East are failing in spectacular fashion. The currencies of Iraq, Turkey, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, and Egypt are all in free fall.Expect to see much unrest throughout the region in 2023. Will Brazil Turn Into Another Venezuela? Sunday, January 1, will see the swearing in of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to the presidency of Brazil. With Lula’s ascendency, we sadly see another South American country fallinto the hands of a criminally corrupt socialist. Will Brazil turn into another Venezuela as a result? Let us pray for the sake of so many wonderful Brazilian people that it does not. US and Other Nations Mandate COVID tests from China With the rampant surge of COVID in China, the US has joined India, Italy, Japan, and Taiwan in requiring a negative COVID test prior to departure for all travelers arrivingfrom China, Macao, and Hong Kong. Be prepared, this could rapidly become very ugly once again. -------------------------------- Are You A “Thought Criminal”? - by Michael Snyder - http://endoftheamericandream.com/are-you-a-thought-criminal/ If we are not free to think what we want, we do not have a free society. It really is that simple. Unfortunately, there is now an overwhelming consensus among elitists inthe western world that radical measures must be instituted to control what people think. If you insist on being a rebel, there is a very good chance that you will be punished for holding unorthodox views. You won’t necessarily be put in prison, but our systemhas countless other ways that it can punish you. For example, those that insist on embracing unacceptable thoughts will find that their career choices are quite limited, and there are certain positions that they will be prohibited from ever holding under anycircumstances. Not only that, but if your thoughts are offensive enough you may have a financial account suddenly shut down or credit denied for seemingly no reason. This sort of thing was unheard of a decade ago, but now it is happening all the time. Of courseyou can forget about having any sort of a substantial social media presence if your thoughts do not conform to current “societal norms”. Even the “free speech platforms” are banning and shadow banning countless accounts every single day. If any of the things that I have just described have happened to you, that is probably because you are a “thought criminal”. You are not supposed to contradict the conditioning that you have received from our education system, from the news media, from our politicians and from the corporate entertainmentthat you are being fed for hours each day. When you deviate from socially acceptable viewpoints, you are guilty of “thoughtcrime”. This is how “thoughtcrime” is defined by Wikipedia… Thoughtcrime is a word coined by George Orwell in his 1949 dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. It describes a person’s politically unorthodox thoughts, such as beliefs anddoubts that contradict the tenets of Ingsoc (English Socialism), the dominant ideology of Oceania. In the official language of Newspeak, the word crimethink describes the intellectual actions of a person who entertains and holds politically unacceptable thoughts;thus the government of the Party controls the speech, the actions, and the thoughts of the citizens of Oceania. Sadly, we truly have become an “Orwellian society” at this point. In fact, a woman in the UK was just arrested for thoughts that she was thinking within her own mind… The U.K. March for Life director was recently arrested after police found her praying silently outside of an abortion clinic, according to a press release by Alliance DefendingFreedom U.K. Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, a charity volunteer and Christian, was approached by police officers outside of BPAS Robert Clinic in Birmingham, England, and asked if she was praying,according to ADF’s press release. Vaughan-Spruce told the officers she “might be praying silently” and was later arrested. “It’s abhorrently wrong that I was searched, arrested, interrogated by police and charged simply for praying in the privacy of my own mind,” Vaughan-Spruce stated in the release. “Nobody should be criminalized for thinking and for praying, in a public space in the UK.” Once she was taken in to the station, you would think that those in charge would realize that a huge mistake has just been made. But instead of releasing her, she was ruthlessly interrogated. Apparently they were absolutely determined to discover whatever evil thoughts that this vicious thought criminal had been thinking. And apparently they found something, because now she has been charged on four counts… WATCH: https://twitter.com/i/status/1608104306783457283 She insists that she is not a criminal. But she doesn’t understand that the world has changed. Anyone that thinks unauthorized thoughts in now a criminal in this system. And at this moment there are countless intelligence agents all over the western world that are scouring social media sites for more thought criminals. Thanks to the release of the Twitter Files, we now know that the FBI has spent an enormous amount of time, effort and energy looking for unauthorized thoughts on our largestsocial media platforms. When the FBI found unauthorized thoughts on Twitter, requests were made to ban specific accounts. This represented a gross violation of our First Amendment rights, and apparentlyit kept happening over and over again. The FBI was confronted about this, and this is how they responded… “The correspondence between the FBI and Twitter show nothing more than examples of our tradition, longstanding and ongoing federal government and private sector engagements,which involve numerous companies over multiple sectors and industries. As evidenced in the correspondence, the FBI provides critical information to the private sector in an effort to allow them to protect themselves and their customers. The men and women of the FBI work every day to protect the American public. It is unfortunate that conspiracy theorists and others are feeding the American public misinformation with the sole purpose of attempting to discredit the agency.” And it has also come out that the FBI has been paying Twitter and other social media companies millions of dollars for some reason… The Federal Bureau of Investigation is declining to specify what other social media companies the federal agency gave money to after Fox News confirmed that it paid Twitternearly $3.5 million. FBI officials told Fox News that the nearly $3.5 million payment to Twitter was a “reimbursement” for the “reasonable costs and expenses associated with their response toa legal process… For complying with legal requests, and a standard procedure.” The FBI officials also said that Twitter isn’t the only social media company that is being paid by the federal agency, telling Fox News “We don’t just reimburse Twitter.” What exactly was that money for? We deserve to know. New Twitter CEO Elon Musk recently stated that “almost every conspiracy theory that people had about Twitter turned out to be true.” Reading that should chill you to the core. Of course many other big tech companies have also been colluding with the government to suppress free speech, and one recent survey found that the vast majority of Americanswant answers… A recent poll shows that 63 percent of Americans want Congress to investigate “whether the FBI was involved in censoring information on social media sites.” The Twitter Files disclosures show that not only did Twitter collude with the FBI, it also worked with other government agencies like the CIA and the Pentagon to suppressinformation. Musk said in a post on Dec. 27 that “*Every* social media company is engaged in heavy censorship, with significant involvement of and, at times, explicit direction of thegovernment.” As time rolls along, those that choose not to conform to “societal norms” will be increasingly pushed to the utter fringes of society. If you continue to choose to be an “independent thinker”, getting a “good job” will be exceedingly difficult. Just think about it. Right now, how many of the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies are “independent thinkers” that have unacceptable belief systems? If you want to rise in the pyramidal structure of our society, you have got to believe what the system tells you to believe. Of course if all independent thought is eliminated, our society will become the sort of dystopian nightmare that authors such as George Orwell and myself have been warningabout for a very long time. Even though I do not like much of what my fellow Americans have to say, I vigorously defend the right to say those things. Freedom of thought and freedom of speech are non-negotiable, and our system of government simply will not work without them. ----------------------------