God’s judgment will soon come upon our completely irrelevant nation-----

 God’s judgment will soon come upon our completely irrelevant nation, the world’s completely irrelevant globalist leaders, and all who love darkness - By Daymond Duck - https://www.raptureready.com/2023/05/20/completely-irrelevant-by-daymond-duck/ On May 9, 2023, former Fox News Host Tucker Carlson posted a three-minute video on Twitter, and here is my understanding of what he said: •The mainstream media is misleading people by withholding valuable information from every story. •Some reporters would like to tell the truth, but there are limits on what they can say, and they know that they will get fired if they say too much too often. •Other than Twitter, there are not many outlets that allow free speech, but free speech on Twitter is impacted by the propaganda (untruth and/or partial truth) in the mainstreammedia. •Most of the debates on TV are completely irrelevant. •Telling the truth strengthens people. •Silencing the truth weakens people. It is my opinion that America is no longer “One nation under God.” We are becoming a nation of liars, weak and completely irrelevant. The corruption of our mainstream media is just a reflection of the corruption of our nation. Jesus ended His conversation with Nicodemus with these words, “This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, becausetheir deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God” (John 3:19-21). Lost people do not like the truth. They do not like the God of the Bible. They hate what the Bible says about world government, abortion, the LGBTQ agenda, Jesus is the only way to heaven, etc. They prefer the darkness. It has impacted many that stand behind a pulpit and many that sit in a pew. God’s judgment will soon come upon our completely irrelevant nation, the world’s completely irrelevant globalist leaders, and all who love darkness. I wish it were not so, but God’s Word must be fulfilled. Here are more events that seem to indicate that God’s judgment will soon come upon the world. One, concerning an economic collapse in the U.S.: consumer pricesincreased 0.4% (4.8% annually) in March 2023, even though the Federal Reserve keeps increasing interest rates to curb inflation. (More:On Mar. 11, 2023, it was reported that 236 companies have filed for bankruptcy in the first four months of 2023 (the highest number in 13 years.) Two, concerning natural disasters increasing in frequency andintensity at the end of the age: on May 10, 2023, it was reported that these three events occurred on the same day: •Severe flooding and a landslide in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) killed at least 422 people, left about 5,000 people unaccounted for (so the death toll willkeep rising), destroyed about 1200 homes, damaged about 1800 homes, and impacted about 20,000 more people. •Wildfires in Russia killed 21 people and destroyed more than 5,000 buildings. •A strong 7.6 earthquake struck off the coast of Tonga, but no damage or casualties were reported. Three, concerning perilous times, a borderless world, etc.: onMay 6, 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers discovered an improvised explosive device (IED) in a vehicle that was crossing from Mexico into Arizona. The driver was detained, and state and federal officials were notified. America’s current administration does not seem to care if other bombs have crossed the border or how many more could be on the way. Four, concerning Muslim efforts to destroy Israel: starting onMay 3, 2023, Muslims fired hundreds of rockets from Gaza into Israel. On May 9, 2023, Israel started striking back with aircraft and bombs. Thousands of Jewish citizens are living in bomb shelters, and thousands more are on alert in their homes. Despite foreign efforts to negotiate a ceasefire, Israeli officials said it is not likely to happen, and it is more likely that the fighting will continue. (Update:On May 12, 2023, it was reported that about 1,000 rockets have now been fired from Gaza into Israel. Israel has responded by attacking 190 targets and killed the top 6 Islamic Jihad leaders—their entire command structure.) (Update:On May 14, 2023, it was reported that 1,469 rockets have been fired from Gaza into Israel that killed 2 Israelis, Israeli bombing had killed at least 33 Muslim attackers and injured about 150 Palestinians, Egypt has negotiated a fragile peace agreement, andIsrael said “quiet will be answered with quiet, and if Israel is attacked and threatened, it will do everything it needs to in order to protect itself.”) (Note:According to Bible prophecy, Israel cannot be destroyed. The Muslims have hundreds of thousands of rockets and missiles, but no weapon formed against Israel will prosper. God will not allow the destruction of Israel because His Word must be fulfilled, butHe will not allow Israel to have peace until the Jews accept Jesus as their Messiah; another prophecy that must be fulfilled.) Five, the Netherlands is small nation with just under 18 millionpeople. It has 12 provinces, two of which are called North Holland and South Holland. Together they are referred to as Holland, and 70% of that area is owned by small farmers that raise cattle. On May 10, 2023, it was announced that the European Union’s main executive body has given the government of Netherlands permission to force half the farmers in Holland tosell their land to the government because the government wants to take their land out of production and seize their cattle to reduce air pollution. Have you got that? The government is planning to use the climatechange scam to take control of about one-third of Holland (half of 70% = 35%), idle the land, and get rid of the cattle. (Opinion:It is easy for me to believe that multitudes will die from famine during the Tribulation Period and multitudes will own nothing, but it is difficult for me to believe that people will be happy in the situation that is developing. I am not saying they willdo this, but it would not surprise me if the government bought the farmers’ land and then seized their bank accounts during an economic crisis. Sorry, but I no longer trust many of today’s leaders.) Six, concerning corruption in the White House, DOJ, FBI, CIA,and more: on May 15, 2023, Special Counsel John Durham released a scathing more than 300-page final report on “Russiagate” (the fabricated lie that Trump was colluding with Russia to defeat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election). There is too much to cover, but here is some of what I read: >Pres. Trump was totally exonerated. >The FBI did not follow its own standards; it failed to uphold the law; it had one set of standards for Trump and another set of standards for Hillary. >On the day Durham’s report was released, FBI Director Christopher Wray acknowledged that there are problems with the way the investigation of Trump was handled, and he saidaction has been taken to ensure that it will not happen again (But he is a known liar, and nothing has been done to Hillary). >With Hillary Clinton’s approval, her campaign started a lie and paid for the creation of a fake document (called the Russian Dossier) to back up a false story about Trump. >CIA Director John Brennan’s handwritten notes show that he briefed Pres. Barack Obama, Vice Pres Joe Biden, Attorney Gen. Loretta Lynch, and FBI Director James Comey on Hillary’sfake story, but they let it go on. >FBI Director Comey had no evidence of any wrongdoing by Trump, he had been briefed on Hillary’s scheme, he had evidence that Trump was innocent, he ignored the evidence ofTrump’s innocence, and his people lied to the FISA Court to get permission to investigate Trump. >Many in the major media reported Hillary’s lie as truth, and even after it became obvious that Hillary had lied, they still reported the lie as truth. >CIA Director John Brennan, Pres. Barack Obama, Vice Pres Joe Biden, Attorney Gen. Loretta Lynch, FBI Director James Comey, National Security Advisor Susan Rice, and Directorof National Intelligence James Clapper met shortly before Trump’s inauguration to discuss Hillary’s fake story. They knew it was a lie, but they allowed the deception of the American people to continue. As I see it, Durham’s report shows that Trump was not colluding with the Russians against Hillary, but Hillary and many powerful people in Washington were colluding with eachother against Trump. On several occasions, Congressman Adam Schiff said he had proof that Trump was guilty, but when it was time to put up or shut up, he could not prove anything. The actions of these people have cost U.S. citizens millions of dollars, done untold damage to our government agencies, helped divide our nation, and nothing will be doneabout it because many of them are still in power. (Note:I have often said there is no telling what the Deep State will do to keep Trump from being elected again, and the corruption of so many top leaders that are never held accountable is a big reason.) Seven, concerning an economic collapse: America’s national debtand the interest rates are skyrocketing, and they are expected to skyrocket even more as our government refinances old debt that was financed at lower rates. We are now in big trouble, and our problems could grow worse fast. (FYI:On a different note, here is a link to an interesting 15-min video on why Tucker Carlson will be posting his program on Twitter. Be sure to watch the last 4 minutes.) https://youtu.be/5rtYca7OFRc 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.

End of All Flesh?

 End of All Flesh? – Terry James - https://terryjamesprophecyline.com/2023/05/21/end-of-all-flesh/ Jesus’ words of fearsome times to come have reverberated from the Mount of Olives since the hour He looked down upon the Temple while answering His disciples’ question aboutthe end of the age. None of those words more encapsulated just how horrific things would be leading up to His return to planet Earth. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. (Matthew 24:2) Like most who study Bible prophecy, I’ve thought the world’s nuclear arsenals would bring humankind to the brink of total annihilation as described here by the Lord. This,of course, could still be the case. Just one of America’s nuclear-equipped submarines, it is said, has more firepower within its hull than all of the explosives detonated in World War II—including the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Can you imaginewhat devastation all-out nuclear war could unleash? So, it isn’t a far stretch to believe that Jesus, the greatest of all prophets, could have been talking about nuclear devastation in our present time on this judgment-doomedsphere. While that could still be the case, I was reminded this past week that nuclear war isn’t the only methodology that might bring humanity to the point that all flesh will bein danger of being completely destroyed. The scientific geniuses amongst our numbers are proving more and more to have the same reprobate mindset as the general population of rebels who have turned their backs to God. And even more troubling, many among thoseof the scientific community are observably “evil men [and women] and seducers” who continue to grow worse and worse. We have witnessed, I believe, an effort by that community to join in the globalist intention to bring the planet into a sustainable configuration—the carbon footprint-controlledNew World Order championed by England’s newly coronated king. We remember the one-world-order Georgia Guidestone edifice inscribed with an expression of the desire to bring the earth’s population down to a “sustainable” five hundredmillion. Its strange destruction and removal—with almost no notice of that removal by the usually avid, pro-sustainable, climate-change champions of international media—hasn’t been addressed by way of explanation since. It seemed that the COVID-19 pandemic and the vaccine-mandate hoopla were somehow involved in the that monument’s declaration. The evidence continues to mount that the effortto eliminate human flesh from the population count remains with us to this late hour. Science, which we are told we must trust, doesn’t seem to be on the side of continuation of humanity. Consider the following: Late on January 29, 2023, eminent MIT Professor and respected expert on drug safety analytics, Dr. Retsef Levi, placed a video on his Twitter. In it, he calls for the immediatesuspension of all mRNA injections. Here are his words introducing the video: “The evidence is mounting and indisputable that mRNA vaccines cause serious harm including death, especially among young people. We have to stop giving them immediately!” (“Worldwide Phenomenon of Sudden Deaths: The Level of Denial and Deception Is Mindboggling,” Jonathan Brentner, https://harbingersdaily.com/worldwide-phenomenon-of-sudden-deaths-the-level-of-denial-and-deception-is-mindboggling/) But even the unleashing of virulent pestilences, with, some believe, the complicit efforts of those within America’s clandestine cabals, doesn’t tell the entirety of suspectedintrigue involved. Now a potential evil feared to threaten human life itself is developing—and at a pace that terrifies even some of the scientific community who are working on the creationof the AI technologies. In late March, no lesser mortal human beings than Goldman Sachs equity research took a deep dive into the implications of AI for the world (and beyond). The magnum opus ledreaders through the evolution of AI… Their shocking conclusion: AI will lead one-third of a billion layoffs (at least) in the US and Europe. Think of it as the mobilization of the service sector. The safety risks around AI are huge, and we think there is amore than 50/50 chance AI will wipe out all of humanity by the middle of the century. (“There’s A Greater-Than-50% Chance AI Wipes Out All of Humanity by 2050, One Advisory Finds,” https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/theres-greater-50-chance-ai-wipes-out-all-humanity-2050-one-advisory-finds.) More and more, the scientists involved in this burgeoning thing called artificial intelligence are warning of the unknowns that will occur when machine melds with human. Wewonder if those responsible for the future of AI are intent on making the global elite “become as gods”—as the serpent promised Eve in the Garden of Eden. Perhaps this is what Jesus meant, at least in part, when he said the words quoted above: And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. So we can be assured that it will not be the end of all flesh. Jesus will preempt Satan’s ability to devour the whole human race. We believe that this preemption—the Raptureof His Church—might take place at any moment! Then, God will Himself control the attempts of Satan to eliminate the human race during the seven years of hell on earth. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

When The Bible Meets The News Of The Day

 When The Bible Meets The News Of The Day… Listen First And Finally To God – By David Jeremiah - https://harbingersdaily.com/when-the-bible-meets-the-news-of-the-day-listen-first-and-finally-to-god/ I don’t know who first said it, but many Christians have affirmed it over the years: “The Bible says it, I believe it, and that settles it!” From a spiritual and theologicalpoint of view, it’s a way of saying that the Bible is the most trustworthy and authoritative source we have. The Bible was inspired by God, so trusting the Bible is equivalent to trusting God. But what about from a secular point of view regarding world affairs? Whom do we trust when it comes to today’s always changing news? During the 1960s and 1970s in America—twoof our more tumultuous decades—one American journalist came to be called “the most trusted man in America”: Walter Cronkite. For nineteen of those twenty years, Cronkite was the anchorman on the CBS Evening News television broadcast. His final words at theend of each show were always the same: “And that’s the way it is.” “That’s the way it is” meant you had been given the factual news that represented the day’s events—not a newscaster’s opinions about the day’s events. We live in a world that challenges our biblically based worldview at every turn. We must decide whether the world will shape us or we will shape our world. To paraphrase the previous statement about the Bible, many people during Cronkite’s era would have said, “Cronkite said it, I believe it, and that settles it!” Walter Cronkitewas so respected as a newscaster and journalist that he was affectionately known as “Uncle Walter” and “King of the Anchormen.” He even trained himself to speak more slowly than most television journalists so that he could be understood by the average viewer. I grew up as a young adult listening to Walter Cronkite—and thinking back on him and his trustworthiness made me realize something: There is no one in today’s world of newsor journalism that is referred to as “the most trusted man (or woman) in America.” No one has replaced the man who once held that title. Don’t get me wrong—I’m not here to glorify one individual newscaster. I’m sure he wasn’t perfect. But I am here to suggest that most of what counts as news today is perhapsless trustworthy than it should be. Instead of signing off a news show with “That’s the way it is,” most newscasters today would need to say, “That’s the way we see it.” In other words, it’s hard to know today if we are getting an accurate portrayal of ourworld or a broadcaster’s bias. That’s not to fault newscasters or the people who write their scripts and load them into the teleprompter. It is simply to say that we all look at the world through bias-colored,or opinion-colored, glasses. And that includes me. I look at the world, unapologetically, through Bible-colored glasses. So when it comes to viewing our world and viewing our Bible, what should we do? Should we look at our Bible through media-colored glasses or look at the world through Scripture-coloredglasses? Said another way, should we allow the events of the world—moral, political, cultural, economic—to shape how we view God and His Word? Or should we let God and His Word shape how we view events that happen in the world? When we rise in the morning and peruse the overnight news headlines on our phone or computer, do we let those headlines set our emotional and spiritual “blood pressure” forthe day? Or at the end of the day, when we take in a half hour news program on television, do we allow the media mantra—“If it bleeds, it leads”—to fill our mind with troubling and disruptive, even unsavory, images and stories that we think about when tryingto fall asleep? Or at the beginning and end of the day, do we rise and retire by meditating on the truths of God’s Word, reminding ourselves that He is sovereign and loving and oversees the world based on His plans and purposes? Does the world shape our worldviewor does the Word shape our view of the world? Facing the World’s Pressures In 2021, I released a book that addresses this question of “Who shapes whom?”— Where Do We Go From Here?: How Tomorrow’s Prophecies Foreshadow Today’s Problems. In that book,I discuss ten different phenomena happening in our world today that have the potential for disrupting our spiritual life if we don’t respond to them biblically. Let’s consider a few of them here. Socialism Many Americans are probably unaware that there are several outspoken socialists serving in the United States Congress. Or that forty percent of Americans view socialism favorablyas a political and economic system—nearly fifty percent of Millennials and Generation Z. Socialism is based on the teachings of Karl Marx, the seed from which Communism grew. It is contrary to the basic tenets of the American system—a Constitutional republicbased on private property, free enterprise, capitalism, and freedom of speech and religion. And no, Acts 2:42-45 and 4:32-35 do not prove that the Early Church in Jerusalem was socialistic based on communal sharing of property. The Early Church voluntarilyshared their goods with those in need, not as a result of a government mandate. There is nothing biblical about socialism. Pandemic Since early 2020, the world has felt the impact of the COVID-19 virus which has caused more than 669 million infections and more than 6.7 million deaths worldwide. The initialand understandable response of humans to a pandemic is fear—especially among the elderly and most vulnerable. But this wasn’t the first pandemic in the world, and it won’t be the last. The Bible says that the worst pandemics are yet to come—during the comingseven-year Tribulation. Thankfully, Christians will not be on this earth at that time. But how do we live without fear in the face of transmissible diseases? First, by remembering that God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7). Second, by rememberingthat God is our Refuge and our Fortress who guards us against “pestilence” and “any plague” (Psalm 91:2, 6, 10). There is nothing biblical about living in fear. Cancel Culture Many people today are afraid of identifying with Jesus Christ or having any biblically based personal conviction or belief, for fear of being “canceled”—publicly attacked,ostracized, and shamed for being out of step with political correctness. Yielding to this cultural peer pressure will silence the voice of anyone speaking out for Christ or the values of the Kingdom of God. Think about what would have happened to the EarlyChurch if the apostles had succumbed to what was very much a religiously based cancel culture. In Jerusalem, the religious leaders of the day warned the apostles not to speak about Jesus or they would face imprisonment (Acts 5:17-18) or even death (Acts 7:54-60).But when threatened, Peter and the other apostles told the authorities that when it came to obeying God or man, the choice was clear: They would speak boldly for God (Acts 4:19-20; 5:29). There is nothing biblical about being silent for fear of being canceled. I could go on, but you get the idea: We live in a world that challenges our biblically based worldview at every turn. We must decide whether the world will shape us or wewill shape our world. Finding the Word’s Principles Survey firms regularly publish the results of their studies on where Americans get their news and information about current events—and the results are predictable. Young peopleget most of their news from social media; conservatives favor one television channel while liberals favor another; older Americans still rely on newspapers and major networks. There are so many choices available that we find a source of information that alignswith our values—all the while believing that our favorite source is giving us the unvarnished news or “telling it like it is,” to paraphrase Walter Cronkite. That’s fine. I’m not going to tell you whom you should listen to except for this one admonition: Listen first and finally to God and His Word for thesereasons: After all the trends and movements pass away, the Word of God will still be here. If the world’s words don’t align with God’s Word, they are opinion, not truth. Only the Word of God will thoroughly equip you to live in a constantly changing world. Instead of the world shaping your views, let the Word shape your worldview every day.

The Rebellion, The Rage And The Regret Of The Nations

 The Rebellion, The Rage And The Regret Of The Nations – By DeanDwyer - https://harbingersdaily.com/the-rebellion-the-rage-and-the-regret-of-the-nations/ As we witness the turmoil in and amongst the nations at the moment, Psalm 2 is one of those passages of Scripture which speaks volumes about our world today. It begins: Whydo the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The word “heathen” is an older translation of the Hebrew word “goy”. If you have ever spoken with a Jewish person, you will hear them refer to Gentiles as “goyim”. Despitesome anti-Semites believing otherwise, this is not intended as an insult because “goyim” literally means “nations”. That is why in later translations of the Bible, the translators substituted the word “heathen” for “nations”. Sadly, those who have failed tounderstand this have persecuted the Jewish people because they have taken offense at the term. I recently came across a copy of the Jewish Daily Bulletin published in New York on Tuesday, 16 January 1934. A short article read as follows: Max Hirschenberg andMoritz Schriesheimer, Jewish employees of a Karlsruhe firm, were arrested today by the political police and sent to a concentration camp. Secret police declared that Aryan girls employed by the firm had said, “we can no longer stand the Jewish molestation.” Hirschenberg is also charged with having insultingly referred to non-Jews as “Goyim.” The word “Goyim” is merely a translation of the Hebrew word for Gentile. To prove the point above, in the New Testament, the corresponding word for “goy” is “ethne”, the source of our English word “ethnic”. It is used in Matthew 28:19 when Jesussays: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [ethne], baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end ofthe age. Amen. Despite being found more than 140 times in the King James Version of the Bible, throughout the years “heathen” has lost its original Biblical meaning of “not Jewish”. Today,people associate the word with being a pagan or an unbeliever. Some go so far as to connect the word with people groups who are barbaric or uncivilized. Perhaps that is another reason the translators of modern English Bibles decided to use the word “nations” in its place. In Isaiah 49, we see mention of a “Servant” who was to be a light to the Gentiles. In verse 6 we read: Indeed He says, it is too small a thing that You should be My Servantto raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth. The Servant would do more than restore Israel to its former glory. He wouldultimately serve as an agent of salvation to the Gentiles. The expression of God’s desire to reach the nations is seen in verse 1 of Isaiah 49: Listen, O coastlands, to Me, and take heed, you peoples from afar! Praise God that this promise was fulfilled asseen in Ephesians 2:11-13: Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh – who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands – that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealthof Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. You see, in Isaiah 49, we see wonderful themes – God’s Servantexplains His ministry as bringing light in the darkness (v 1-7), liberty to the captive (v 8-13) and love and hope to the discouraged (49:14 – 50:3). As we see from the command referred to in Matthew 28 above, Jesus didn’t just limit His grace to the Jews – He wanted to extend God’s grace to the Gentiles by ensuring thatthe truth of God reached ALL nations. This is important due to the fact that God is the judge of ALL of the earth and each person must choose to accept or reject His offer of salvation. In the account of Abraham interceding for Sodom, Genesis 18:25 confirmsthe scope of His judgement: Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? In Luke 2, we read a wonderful account of a man named Simeon. After seeing the Christ-child for himself, we read in verses 29-32: “Lord, now You are letting Your servant departin peace, according to Your Word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.” When Jesus begins His Galilean ministry – knownas Galilee of the Gentiles – we see the fulfilment of Isaiah 9:1-2 when Matthew records in Matthew 4:14-16: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyondthe Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.” Even though many (both then and now) have accepted the Light of the world, there are countless others who have rejected Him. John 3:18-19: He that believes on Him is not condemned:but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.How sad that mankind’s response to the revelation of God’s Light has been to ignore it and continue their evil deeds. Whatever their reasons for doing so, they cannot claim they did not have an opportunity to know Him and to receive His gift of salvation.This is supported by Romans 1:18-21. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God,nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Fallen man will embrace mother nature, the big-bang theory and evolution, gods and goddesses they have made themselves – ANYTHING but the Almighty Creator! Theworld’s system of salvation is as simple as ABC: Anything But Christ. This current age will not roll on indefinitely. Though they remain wilfully ignorant to the prophecies of the Bible, it is very clear from Matthew 25 that the nations aresoon going to be held to account. When Jesus returns at the end of the Tribulation Period, He will judge the nations. Matthew 25:31-34: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. But for the nations who rejected Christ, verse 41 confirms their fate: “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, intothe everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. The very heathen who rage at God throughout the Tribulation Period will be the very same ones who will express an eternity of regret when they are cast into the Lake of Fire. Their rage leads to rebellion and their rebellion gives way to regret. If only they would take the advice of the final verse of Psalm 2: Blessed are all those who put theirtrust in Him.

The Coming One-World Religion

 The Coming One-World Religion - by Bill Perkins - https://compass.org/the-coming-one-world-religion/ During the Tribulation, all the religions of the world will end up worshiping a single, one-world religion. It’s discussed in general in Revelation 17 and has some specificsin Revelation 13. It's a hard one to understand. Think about it—how could humans, as diverse as we are today, end up with everyone worshiping the same thing? Of those who miss the Rapture,how could the left-behind Catholics and Baptists worship together? How about the left-behind Mormons and the Presbyterians? Hindus and Muslims? Even communism is basically a religion; how’s that going to fit into a one-world religion? So it begs the question, what situation or event could bring this about? The first thing you have to consider is that post-Rapture, things will change rapidly. One day allis normal, the next day it's worldwide chaos. The USA will be immediately destroyed (uninhabitable), so Europe and the Middle East will be the world’s focus for the next seven years—specifically, ten nations: five fromEurope and five from the Middle East. You can read about the ten toes in Daniel 2. We’ve discussed in detail the fact that millions, realizing full well they missed the Rapture, will be martyred for their newly found embrace of Biblical Christianity. Thatstill leaves billions of other non-Believers dying of starvation. You could easily see them being forced to do a lot of things just to have food to eat. But it might include an even more sinister reason, as pointed out a few weeks ago in Jeff Childers' Coffee and Covid newsletter. As we move closer to AI taking more and morecontrol, and knowing those programming AI are liberal atheists, individual religion of any form will become totally taboo. In the vacuum AI can step in with a brand-new religion. Yoval Harari, Klaus Snobs' creepy right-hand tech influencer and who I think is a good candidate for the prophesied future false prophet, described future religions this way: “I believe religions are not, as a rule, destroyed by scientific knowledge but only by other religions.” He was including not only main-stream religions like Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist and Catholic, but also communism and nationalism that are filling the gap in Europe astrue Christianity fades away. And ultimately, he believes humans can all be funneled (programmed) into worshiping man, not God. This is consistent with Satan's "I want to be God" proclamations in Isaiah 14, where he emphatically proclaims it six times. “How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, you who have weakened the nations! But you said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly [I will rule] in the recesses of the north. I will ascendabove the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit." Is. 14:12-15 So Yoval expects a new religion will take shape. And what better shaper of religion could there be than to have the new god AI take all the religions of the world, a littlefrom each one, and make one brand-new religion to unify the world. Hmmm… of course if you didn’t go along with this new world religion, then there goes your bank account. Or even your food and/or housing. Or worse. Point is, you'll HAVE toworship this new religion. Think this is a stretch? Think again. Religion bots based on ChatGPT technology is the fastest growing religion in India (see inset). Even ding-a-lings in the USA are becomingromantically involved with the communications and images on their computers.(1) This way you can talk directly to god, and ask questions. Well, actually they'll be talking to a bot who is pretending to be god. But these days people seem to believe thestrangest things. And that sheds a whole new light on the "image of the beast" verses in Revelation. “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in fullstrength in the cup of His anger; Rev. 14:9-10 So computer-generated images could be part of the new One-World Religion. At the rate AI is programming itself, including talking with emotion, who knows how close we are to bots keeping up with everything all the time. Jehovah God knows our everymove, even our thoughts. Satan will need help keeping up with everyone and AI will be a perfect set of worldwide eyes working nonstop 24/7. It won't be long before everyone will be shackled by AI’s long reach. Thankfully these verses warning about worshiping the beast and his image are describing events that arepost-Rapture! But the point is, it’s really not a stretch to think the prophesied new, improved One-World Religion might emerge from AI—all in the world’s best interest of course. 1) https://nypost.com/2023/03/20/i-was-wooed-by-chatgpt-cupidbot-ai-is-scary/ Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1John 4:1 "AI can monitor the billions of cameras, computers, satellites, cash registers, phones, and everything else connected to it. Future police vehicles will not all be manned.Robotic prowl cars and aerial drones will patrol neighborhoods and business districts. Each will be equipped to look and listen through walls, read every license plate, and use facial recognition on every face. AI will correlate and interpret that massiveflow of data. It never sleeps; never takes a break." - Hal Lindsey

One Day Soon

 One Day Soon - By Dennis Huebshman - https://www.raptureready.com/2023/03/02/one-day-soon-by-dennis-huebshman/ Isaiah 5:20 really has become significant in just the last ten to fifteen years. “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; who put darkness for light and light for darkness;who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” With all the new secular attitudes toward what is normal as given by all the alphabet groups, and the trend of starting with the very young in proclaiming new gender-determining ideas, this world is rapidly approachingthe “Midnight Hour.” There is a symbolic clock that when it strikes midnight, this present era will end, and a whole new world will emerge. Tragically, it will be a terrible 7-year tribulation-filled world. (ESV – all emphasis mine) One reason the United States was formed was because of religious persecution in Europe, and people came to this land to establish “Freedom Of Religion.” The main concept wasthat people would be free to worship however they personally believed or even not to worship if they chose not to do so. As long as no one “forced” their beliefs on anyone else, the system was mostly successful. There was a dark period of time from 1692-1693 in Massachusetts where some people were accused of following Satan and practicing evil witchcraft. The accused were mostly women,but there were some men also. Over 200 were accused, and 20 were actually executed. Although the trials were declared unlawful in 1702, it wasn’t until 1711 that a bill was passed restoring the “rights” of those unlawfully accused. It took until 1957 for theCommonwealth to formally apologize for the 1692-1693 events. (source Wikipedia) Just as a follow-up, the Bill of Rights was created on September 25, 1789, and ratified on December 15, 1791. They were supplements to the Constitution of the United States.The first of the 13 colonies to ratify the Constitution was Delaware on December 7, 1787, and the last was Rhode Island on May 29, 1790. With all of this history in mind, could you just imagine how difficult it would be in our country today to establish a new Constitution and Bill of Rights? There would beno trials for witchcraft, as the open worship of Satan has come to light within just the past decade or so. Imagine the mass hysteria in the colonial days if a “church of Satan” were to appear. Today, they are in numerous places around the country, and hardlyanyone raises an eyebrow. On the other hand, to mention Jesus or speak on Christianity, we hear cries of “freedom From religion,” and Christians are the ones called the “haters.” Matthew 24:10-12; “And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessnesswill be increased, the love of many will grow cold.” Then Matthew 24:23-24; “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe it. For false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray,if possible, even the elect.” Paul gives very specific attitudes and traits that will be present in the last days, and they are found listed in 2 Timothy 3:1-5. To some degree, all that are listed havebeen around all along, but not nearly to the extent as today. The changes became more severe a few years ago, and the intensity is increasing almost daily. It has become a time where, as Isaiah said, “evil has become good, and good has become evil.” In some places in the United States, children are being programmed in schools with all the new age junk, and mostly without the parent’s knowledge or consent. In some countries,children can be removed from their parents, and the parents can actually face jail time for objecting. Jesus gave signs in Matthew 24 and Luke 21 as to what would be taking place just prior to His return. Much of this refers to the seven-year tribulation, but before that canofficially start, an event known as the Harpazo, Rapture, or Taking up of all true believers must occur to keep us from the wrath. He told us that when all these signs begin to take place, He will be coming for His flock soon (Luke 21:28). Titus 1:2 tells us specifically that God does not lie, and why would He? After all, He’s the Creator and could rule us in any way He would see fit. However, we are blessedwith a Father that truly loves each and every one of us, and just for receiving and accepting the free gift that His Son gave us, He is willing to give us a forever home with Him. The scriptures about the Rapture are 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-53. God’s promise to keep us from the wrath, or tribulation, is in 1 Thessalonians 1:10;1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, and Revelation 3:10. The simple steps to Salvation are in Romans 10:9-13. Should anyone believe we are already in the tribulation, 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 tells us that the antichrist must appear for the wrath to officially begin, butthe Restrainer must be removed first. That Restrainer would be the Holy Spirit, and if He is taken out of the way, all that He indwells must be removed also. One day, nearly 2,000 years ago, our Lord and Savior, Jesus, one-third of the Holy Trinity, allowed Himself to be sacrificed for our sins. My sins. Three days later, He arosefrom the dead so that our free gift would be complete. The absolute promise we are given is, “All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). One day soon, He will return to gather His flock, and we will be given immortal, imperishable forever bodies and a mindset that will be free from all temptation. Everythinghas been done that was prophesied, so the next main event is the Rapture. In 1908, J. Wilburn Chapman wrote “One Day,” and the final verse is 2 Timothy 4:18, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His Heavenly Kingdom.To Him be the glory forever and ever, Amen.” 1.) One day when Heaven was filled with His praises, one day when sin was as black as could be, Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin; dwelt among men, my example is He. Ref.) Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me; buried, He carried my sins far away. Rising, He justified freely, forever. One Day He’s Coming – O Glorious Day. 2.) One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain; one day they nailed Him to die on the tree. Suffering anguish, despised and rejected, bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He. 3.) One day they left Him alone in the garden; one day He rested, from suffering free. Angels came down o’er His tomb to keep vigil; Hope of the Hopeless, my Savior is He. 4.) One day the grave could conceal Him no longer; one day the stone rolled away from the door. Then He arose, over death He had conquered; now is ascended my Lord evermore. 5.) One day the trumpet will sound for His coming; one day the skies with His glory will shine. Wonderful Day, my beloved ones bringing; Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine! This hymn has been recorded by numerous artists and can be found on YouTube. For any who have not received and accepted the gift of our Precious Lord and Savior, today would not be too early to do so. We don’t know the day, hour, minute, or even secondthat the Trumpet of God will sound and the shout from the archangel takes place. All who have become a part of His flock will rise up to meet Him in the air – the dead in Christ first, then those who are still alive at the call. All who refuse the gift and therefore refuse to accept God’s Son as Savior will have a place waiting in line at the Great White Throne Judgment of Revelation 20:11-15. Fromthere, they will be thrown into the lake of fire that will be occupied by Satan and all his demons. That is also final and forever. Our Father has left the choice up to each and every person to make. No one has sinned so greatly that the Blood of Jesus cannot cover them. This is the absolute most importantdecision you will ever make, and please choose wisely. Choose Life! Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus

God Made It Simple

 God Made It Simple - Nathele Graham - twotug@embarqmail.com According to Scripture, salvation isn’t complicated, but humans have complicated it. Justification happens at the moment of true faith in Christ, sanctification takes a lifetime,and glorification comes when we finally are Home with Jesus. God made salvation simple. You only need to realize that you’re a sinner and believe that only Jesus can forgive your sin. Your faith should result in a changed life, and that’s the sanctificationprocess. We all sin, but a true Christion will ask for forgiveness and learn from mistakes. One evening a Pharisee came to Jesus to ask about some important truths, and the conversation is very enlightening. “There was man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus,a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” John 3:1-2. Nicodemus had some understanding, but needed to hear the truth from Jesus. He could have listened to the gossip on the street or the prejudice and misinformation among hisfellow Pharisees, but he did the right thing, Nicodemus went directly to Jesus for answers. Jesus didn’t beat around the bush. He knew why Nicodemus was there. Eternal life is something most people have questions about, and there are many complicated, andwrong, answers to that question. For instance, the Sadducees didn’t believe there was life after death. Today we have some people who think there’s a place called purgatory where sinners go after death, but it’s not permanent. That’s not Biblical. God madeit simple. “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3. Born again. Now there’s a phrase which has stumbled many well-intentioned people. Nicodemus was a man who was searching for truth. He knew the Old Testament and had enoughhead-knowledge to recognize Jesus as a “teacher come from God”, but he didn’t have the heart-knowledge to recognize that Jesus was God incarnate. Without that heart-knowledge, he was blind to the fact that he was speaking with the Messiah. All who seek Jesusneed to have more than an intellectual knowledge of Him. Nicodemus asked many questions that night, and Jesus was patient to answer. Being “born again” was an idea that confused Nicodemus, and Jesus explained “The wind blowethwhere it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8. Jesus wasn’t talking about a physical re-birth, but a spiritual one. The word “wind” isthe Greek word “pneuma”, which appears 385 times in the New Testament, and is often translated as Spirit. Neither the wind nor the Holy Spirit can be seen, but both can be felt. Without the Holy Spirit we cannot know the things of God. Nicodemus was smart to seek answers directly from Jesus, but what do we do today? “For what man knoweth the thingsof a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neithercan he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:11-14. Is it complicated to receive the Holy Spirit? No, God made it simple. When a person truly and honestly accepts the free gift of salvation only found through Jesus, the HolySpirit is sealed within that person. “In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritanceuntil the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14. People like to complicate this, and try to convince you that you need to do something aside from believe in order to receive the Holy Spirit. People might tell you that youaren’t Spirit-filled if you sin again. Scripture says we only need to believe. The Holy Spirit will never guide us into sin and will help us to understand Scripture. It is possible to ignore this gift, and that’s where trouble comes from. We can choose tolive contrary to God’s ways, but that isn’t God’s desire for us. “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, withall malice: and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:30-32. Godly character should follow your belief, so listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit and study Scripture.Apply God’s truth to your life. If you continue to hold tightly to sin and ignore the Holy Spirit’s guidance, you will have little joy in your life. Nicodemus questioned how a man could re-enter his mother’s womb, but as the conversation went on, Jesus explained “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that whichis born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:6. Being born again is something that happens inside a person after faith in Jesus. No human has the ability to judge another person’s faith in God, but our faith should be evidenced by changes to our lifestyle andattitude. The Apostle Paul was a man who allowed his faith in Christ to govern his life. His heart was changed and his way of life was evidence of the inward change. He stopped hating others, and he shared the Gospel with everyone he met, even if it meanthis life was in danger. He chose to praise God in even the most perilous situations. Paul and Silas were once asked by a jailer in Philippi what he could do to be saved. “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Acts 16:31. Paul could have told him to be baptized, or to perform community service, or say certain prayers, or any number of other “works” related “evidences” of salvation. Instead,Paul and Silas shared the Gospel. “And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.” Acts 16:32. Nobody can be born again unless they hear the Gospel. “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And howshall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” Romans 10:14. If you have truly placed your faith in Jesus for salvation, you are a born-again Christian and you need to share your faith with others. My grandmother always said “You canpreach a better sermon with your life than with words.” That means we can say “I’m a Christian” all we want, but our actions will speak louder than words. “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I willshew thee my faith by my works.” James 2:18. We can’t work for our salvation, but we can let others see Christ in us by doing good works. God made salvation simple for us, because He loves us. If you claim to be a Christian, that means you’ve repented of your sin and asked Jesus to forgive you. Repent meansyou’ve changed your mind about sin. Don’t stay in the sin that once separated you from God. By faith you’ve become a new creation in Christ. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:12-13. Being born again is a personal choice. Nobody can make that choice for you. It’s been said that God has no grandchildren, we all have to make our own choice. If you thinkyou’re a Christian because you were baptized as an infant, think again. A baby can have no understanding of his or her need for salvation and the parents made the choice. Baptism is outward evidence of a choice you personally have made, but it doesn’t bringsalvation. “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 heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made untosalvation.” Romans 10:9-10. An infant cannot make a confession of faith. Notice, too, that this verse says nothing about adding works to belief. God has made salvation simple, but all the many Christian denominations have complicated it. The important thing for you to do right now is be sure that you have believed upon Jesus. When my husband and I were married, he wasn’t a Christian. He thought he was becausehe lived in the United States and it was a Christian nation. That really bothered me and I spoke to him about it and I also prayed and prayed. One day, he was talking with a Christian friend, and the Gospel suddenly made sense. Ron accepted Christ and I wasamazed as I watched the Holy Spirit work in him and change him into a man who was a fearless witness for Christ. Ron died ten years ago, and my greatest comfort is knowing that he is with Jesus. If he had continued thinking he was a Christian because of thenation where he was born, he would have been eternally lost. That’s as wrong as thinking you’re a Christian because you’re a Baptist, a Catholic, or any other man-made denomination. Only faith in Jesus brings salvation. What about you? Are you born again? The Rapture is very near and that means all Christians will be taken from earth prior to the time when God’s judgment falls upon all theunbelieving world who will be left behind. Some people like to complicate things by judging who is a Christian based on works. Mostly those who judge another’s salvation, set themselves up as the standard to aim for, forgetting that they, themselves, fallshort of God’s standard. “Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and com short of the glory of God’ being justified freely by his grace throughthe redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forebearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness:that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” Romans 3:22-26. One interesting idea is saying only born-again Christians will be Raptured. That’s true, but it’s belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ that makesus a born-again Christian. If you just attend Sunday morning services but have no faith in Jesus, you aren’t a Christian. Being baptized doesn’t make you a Christian. Being a very nice and kind person doesn’t make you a Christian. Only Faith in the finishedwork of Christ on the cross makes you a Christian. God made it simple. “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. For Godsent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 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 Sonof God.” John 3:16-18. Yes, it’s that simple. God bless you all, Nathele Graham

Revelation 13: The activities of the beast

 Revelation 13: The activities of the beast - By Mark Creech - https://www.christianpost.com/voices/revelation-13-the-activities-of-the-beast.html Various leaders have discussed the concept of a New World Order throughout history, but it gained particular prominence in the aftermath of the Cold War. President GeorgeH.W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev used the term to describe a new global political and economic system based on cooperation and peace. Since then, various leaders and organizations have called for a New World Order, including the United Nations, the World Economic Forum, and numerous political and businessleaders. They argue that increasing globalization and interconnectedness require a new system of governance that can address global challenges like climate change (so-called), economic inequality, and conflict. While efforts have been made to establish a New World Order, such as creating international institutions like the International Criminal Court and the Paris Climate Agreement,progress has been slow and uneven. Many countries prioritize their own interests (which is how it should be) over global cooperation, and there is an ongoing debate about what a New World Order should look like and how it should be achieved. Nevertheless, the concept is growing, although quite incrementally. If the globe were suddenly plunged into a general free-fall, no doubt, the idea could rapidly catch on,become pervasive, and transform into a beastly one-world government led by a man indwelt and empowered by the devil, the Antichrist. I once heard my childhood pastor say something in church one Sunday that has stayed with me into my senior years. He said, “One day, the Lord will say to the world, ‘Alright,you have wanted the Devil’s way; you have preferred him over me, despite my countless warnings. Now I’m going to give him to you fully.’ Then the Lord will also say to the devil, ‘Alright, you have always said you could run the world better than me. So, Iwill stand back and restrain you no more from having total power. Let’s see what you will do with your newfound powers.’” We will undoubtedly see chaos and catastrophic results. Humanity will plummet into unprecedented disaster, and the Devil’s reign will be short-lived and an utter failure. H. A. Ironside, in Lectures on Revelation, says of this coming spectacle: “It is not hard to imagine something in which the condition of this world will be found after all Christians have been snatched away to be with the Lord, especially when werealize that many in high places — rulers, governors, and other political leaders, are at heart Christian men …Their removal would be like the breaking of a dyke, permitting the rushing waters of anarchy … Think of how evil will then be intensified. What frightfullengths unsaved men will go to in their efforts to bring about a millennium without Christ. Whether carnal men realize it or not, true Christians are the light of the world and the salt of the earth. Let every Christian suddenly be taken away from this scene,and you will have gross darkness covering the earth.” As a registered lobbyist for the Christian Action League of North Carolina, I’ve seen this principle played out repeatedly in the state legislature. I have on many occasionssaid that if it were not for the many exemplary Christian leaders elected to serve there, the whole place would go to Hell in no time. Their presence is a profound restraining influence. One day this restraining influence of true Christianity in creed and action will be withdrawn from the entire world, and out of the wicked sea of nations will arise “a Beast.” John said of this Beast: “It had seven heads and 10 horns, with 10 crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God. This Beast looked like a leopard, but it had the feetof a bear and the mouth of a lion! And the dragon gave the Beast his own power and throne and great authority” (Revelation 13: 1-2). The astute Bible student will recognize the remarkable similarities between the Beast that John saw in his vision and the four Beasts that the prophet Daniel saw in his own.The Beast in Revelation 13 echoes the fourth Beast in Daniel chapter 7 in several ways: 1. In Daniel’s vision, the first Beast was like a lion, the second Beast was like a bear, and the third Beast was like a leopard. Daniel said he saw a fourth Beast that wasterrifying and dreadful, which “devoured and crushed its victims with huge iron teeth and trampled their remains beneath its feet. It was different from any of the other beasts, and it had 10 horns.” In John’s vision in Revelation, the Beast has a body ofa leopard, the feet of a bear, and the mouth of a lion. 2. The fourth Beast and John’s Beast both have 10 horns. 3. Both Daniel’s fourth Beast and John’s Beast represent world powers that rise up and dominate the Earth. 4. Both Daniel’s fourth Beast and John’s Beast have enormous power and authority, ruling over the earth and exerting its will on humankind. 5. Daniel’s fourth Beast with its little horn and John’s Beast have a blasphemous nature, speaking against God and making extraordinary claims. Overall, the similarities between the two visions suggest they are referring to the same power or empire that will dominate the world in the last days before the return ofJesus Christ. Charles Ryrie, in Revelation, further explains: “In total appearance, the Beast was ‘like a leopard,’ his feet ‘like those of a bear,’ and his mouth ‘like a lion’s. In the vision of Daniel 7, the first Beast that the prophetsaw was like a lion, the second like a bear, and the third like a leopard. John’s Beast combines these features; whatever the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, and Grecian armies had of strength, brutality, and swiftness will be present in this final form of Antichrist’sworld rule in the Western confederation of nations” [some refer to this as a revived Roman Empire]. Great as this man and empire will be, he is actually an agent or tool of someone else. It is the dragon, Satan, who gives the Beast his power, throne, and authority.He is sold out to Satan, and Satan uses him to the maximum.” In 2001: On the Edge of Eternity, the late evangelist, Jack Van Impe, asked a pointed question: “In man’s search for international leadership, there has always been the drive to find the one who is destined to hold it all together. Are people today really ready to accepta ‘devil’ as the new CEO of world affairs?” The answer is yes, they are and will, given the right circumstances. This happens during the Tribulation Period after the Church has been removed. Recently, this text made me consider what draws people to accept and submit to a ruthless dictator. One of the primary reasons is fear. Dictators often use fear to control people, threatening violence and retribution. People are drawn to a charismatic leader with a strongpersonality. The masses see these traits as necessary to run a successful government, even when the leader’s methods are not ethical or legal. Dictators are experts at evoking nationalistic pride — someone who can restore order and unity around a common identity.When times are going well, people support such leaders even when their governing style is undemocratic. Dictators also use propaganda to shape public perception, using techniques to spread misinformation, suppress dissent, and manipulate public opinion. Sadly,if people have experienced some trauma, or sometimes even the threat, they will seek protection and a sense of security, accepting a dictator’s rule, should it even mean they have to give up their freedoms. The Bible indicates the Antichrist will employ all of these means to seduce and conquer, except something happens that clinches the world’s affections and adherence. The apostleJohn continues: “I saw that one of the heads of the Beast seemed wounded beyond recovery — but the fatal wound was healed! The whole world marveled at this miracle and gave allegiance tothe Beast. They worshiped the dragon for giving the Beast such power, and they also worshiped the Beast. ‘Who is as great as the beast?’ they exclaimed. ‘Who is able to fight against him?'” (Revelation 13:3-4). Satan is the master of deceit. So, it shouldn’t be surprising that his Superman, the Antichrist is like him. Perhaps the most effective means of the devil’s ability to defraudis imitation. The Evil One has always sought to counterfeit the character and works of God. He desires that he be worshipped instead of God. Thus, he tries to mislead by imitating God’sactions but with a different objective. For example, God is a giver, and Satan imitates by offering false promises. God is holy, and Satan presents himself as an angel of light, but in reality, he is full of darkness. Overall, the devil’s objective is to trickpeople into believing he and his ways are a legitimate “alternative” or “replacement” for the Lord and his ways. It appears that in Revelation 13, Satan, in the person of the Antichrist, himself a counterfeit of the Son of God, seems “mortally wounded” and appears to experience the miracleof resurrection. What could be more persuasive to cause the masses to submit to him? Some Christians do not accept this interpretation. J. Vernon McGee, in his Thru the Bible commentary on Revelation, says for many Christians, this text describes “the Roman Empire and that the imperial form of government,under which Rome fell, will be restored in a startling manner.” Admittedly, this view has some merit, but as McGee adds: “[T]he Beast is a man who will exhibit a counterfeit and imitation resurrection. This will be the great delusion, the big lie of the Great Tribulation Period (see Thessalonians2:11), and this is part of the big lie. They will not accept the resurrection of Christ, but they sure are going to fake the resurrection of the Antichrist…The challenge on that day will be: ‘What has Christ done that Antichrist has not done?” Nobody can duplicatethe resurrection of Christ; they might imitate it in a way that will fool the world – it is the big lie. Believers say, ‘Christ is risen!’ The boast of unbelievers on that day will be: ‘So is Antichrist!’ The Roman Empire will spring back into existence underthe cruel hand of a man who faked a resurrection, and a gullible world who rejected Christ will finally be taken in by his forgery.” Next, the Bible says: “Then the Beast was allowed to speak great blasphemies against God. And he was given the authority to do whatever he wanted for forty-two months. And he spoke terrible wordsof blasphemy against God, slandering his name and his dwelling — that is, those who dwell in heaven” (Revelation 13:5-6). Blasphemy is insulting, speaking irrelevantly, or showing contempt for God and sacred things. It is a terrible sin. Some real-life modern examples of people who blasphemed are Andres Serrano. In 1987 the American artist created a photograph titled “Piss Christ,” which depicted a crucifixsubmerged in his own urine. The late British American author and journalist Christopher Hitchens wrote a book titled God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything, which severely mocked and criticized God. In the 1960s and 70s, American activist and founderof American Atheists, Madalyn Murray O’Hair, was known for her outspoken denigrations of God and the followers of Christ. In the last days, the Antichrist will be more blasphemous than Serrano, Hitchens, and O’Hair combined. Let me encourage you to stop and pause for a moment to consider another quote from H.A. Ironside: “Only those who have exchanged the heavenly hope for an earthly one will be deceived by this great leader. He is the coming man for whom the world is waiting. Mistaken andblinded statesmen will hail him as the head of the nations, the one who will solve the problems — social, political, and economic — that are now disturbing the world. How blessed to be warned by God of all these things beforehand, that we may walk apart fromeverything that savors of that day of reproach and blasphemy.” Only someone lacking in good judgment — reckless or careless would disregard such a warning — and if they should have doubts, not earnestly investigate. You’ve been warned.

Waiting for the Call

 Waiting for the Call - By Dennis Huebshman - https://www.raptureready.com/2023/05/10/waiting-for-the-call-by-dennis-huebshman/ Starting with 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, Paul gives us encouragement about what awaits us at the end of this age. “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus diedand rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the Trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then, we who are left will be caught up together with them in the cloudsto meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” (ESV – all emphasis is mine) The book of 1 Thessalonians is the first book of the New Testament to be written around 49-51 A.D. Going to the book of 1 Corinthians, which will be referenced next, Paulwrote it about 53-54 A.D. In comparison, the Gospels are dated as Matthew after 70 A.D.; Mark 65-75 A.D.; Luke 85 A.D.; and John being completed between 90-110 A.D., but possibly started as early as 70 A.D. Looking at 1 Corinthians 15:51-53, we have more information about the event known as Harpazo, the Taking Up, or more commonly known as the Rapture. “Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the Trumpet will sound,and the dead shall be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.” One note here: the Trumpet mentioned in these two books has nothing to do with the trumpet judgments given in Revelation 8-11. There are numerous signs of what will be taking place on earth just before the end of this age. Without going through the entire list as given in Matthew 24; Luke 21; 2 Timothy3; 1 John 2-5; 2 Peter 3, and numerous other places in the Bible, we can take each and every sign and show it’s here today – and all at once for the first time ever. Jesus said in Luke 21:28, “Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” What has prophecy experts, and even a prophecy novice like me excited, is that the signs began forming about a decade ago, and the progression is gaining momentum daily. OnMay 14, 1948, Israel became a sovereign nation again after almost 2,000 years. This would be the blooming of the fig tree that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21. He stated that the “generation” that saw this would not pass before He wouldreturn. We are not told how long this generation would be; however, on May 14, 2023, Israel will be 75 years back in the land. What true believers are looking forward to is to be free from this sin-filled world and “Safe in the Arms of Jesus.” That just happens to be the title of a Fanny Crosby songfrom 1868. Please note the words of this amazing Hymn. 1.) Safe in the arms of Jesus, safe on His gentle breast. There by His love o’ershaded, sweetly my soul shall rest. Hark! Tis the voice of angels, borne in a song to me. Overthe fields of glory, over the Jasper Sea. Ref.) Safe in the arms of Jesus, safe on His gentle breast. There by His love o’ershaded, sweetly my soul shall rest. 2.) Safe in the arms of Jesus, safe from corroding care. Safe from the world’s temptations, sin cannot harm me there. Free from the blight of sorrow, free from my doubts andfears. Only a few more trials; only a few more tears. 3.) Jesus, my heart’s dear refuge; Jesus has died for me. Firm on the Rock of Ages, ever my trust shall be. Here let me wait with patience, wait till the night is o’er. Waittill I see the morning break on that golden shore. There are many “nay-sayers,” just as there have always been, who say nothing has changed, and everything’s the same as it’s always been. These are the “scoffers” mentionedin 2 Peter 3:3-4. They overlook 2 Peter 3:8, which states, “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” In 2 Peter 3:9, we’re told the Lord is being patient with us, givingus the opportunity to repent and be saved. Then, reality sets in; those who refuse to repent and accept the free gift that our Savior gave to us at Calvary will end up in the Lake of Fire forever (Revelation 20:11-15). What a lot of people forget is that our Creator is not bound by time as we are. He created time for us. Genesis 1:3-5; “And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the First Day.” There have been movies and television programs where humans could travel back in time and experience historical events. Of course, these are all fantasy. However, with God,it is a reality. Not being bound by the time restraints that we are, He is able to be anywhere at any time that He so chooses. Not only that, the term is omnipresent, or being able to be everywhere at once. He’s also omnipotent, or all-powerful; and omniscient,or all-knowing. True believers are becoming less popular every day. We hate no one, but we do not accept the acts that our Father called abominations. We are being labeled as “haters” becauseof this, which does not surprise our Father at all. Satan has been a powerful influence with all his tactics, and his demons are working overtime as never before. This is another sign that this age is coming to a close and being very close to entering thenext era, which will be known as the tribulation or wrath. All who have Jesus as their Savior are promised we won’t go into that time period. That is in 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10, and Revelation 3:10. We will bewith our Jesus in our new Home and in our new forever, immortal bodies. Our Judgment will be the Judgment Seat of Christ as given in 2 Corinthians 5:10. This is not a condemning judgment as the Great White Throne Judgment will be. We will gain or lose rewardsfor all the actions we did here on earth, but the outcome will still be eternity in Heaven. The best part is you get to choose which judgment you will attend. It’s a free-will choice, as God will force no one either way. However, at our last breath here, our finaldestiny is set. It will either be Heaven or Hell. No other option exists, no matter what false prophets are saying. Today, right now, you can place yourself “Safe in the Arms of Jesus.” The simple steps are found in Romans 10:9-13. There’s nothing you can buy or earn; it’s a free gift fromthe Son of the Lord God Jehovah, Creator of the heavens and the earth. It’s your choice and the most important decision you will ever make. Jesus is waiting for all who will call on Him to be their eternal Savior. Choose wisely; choose today;Choose Jesus! Shalom – Maranatha! (Peace be with You; Come, Lord Jesus!)

“Watch Out That No One Deceives You”

 “Watch Out That No One Deceives You” - By Rick Segoine - https://www.raptureready.com/2023/03/15/watch-out-that-no-one-deceives-you-by-rick-segoine/ Jesus was sitting on the Mt. of Olives and said this to Peter, John, James, and Andrew when they asked Him what the signs would be of His Second Coming and of the end of theage: “Watch out that no one deceives you, for many shall come in my name claiming ‘I am the Christ’ and deceive many” (Matthew 24:3-5). Jesus goes on to tell those four disciples about many other signs leading up to the end times, and in Matthew 24:24-25, Jesus re-emphasizes the point of not allowing oneselfto be deceived. “For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.” These warnings by Jesus Himself about the deception that will abound as we approach the end of the church age should be taken very seriously. When Jesus warns of those who would come claiming “I am the Christ,” two possibilities come to mind. One is that some seriously delusional individuals will proclaim that theythemselves are Jesus, either reincarnated or descended directly from heaven. Some of those, past and present, that have been inflicted by the father of lies with this messiah complex have actually built up a significant number of followers by deceivingmany. A second possibility is that someone comes along claiming “I am the Christ” and is actually saying that Jesus is the Christ, but it is “another Jesus” (2 Corinthians 11:4)that exhibits little resemblance to the Jesus of scripture. There may only be a relative few who have claimed or now claim to be Jesus, but there are many who preach their own unique versions of “another Jesus.” Jesus foresaw these things. Jesus also warned that these false prophets and deceivers would be convincing enough to deceive even the elect if that were possible. I believe he says this to emphasize justhow subtle the deceit will be. Fast forward to March 2023, and what do we see? Do we see any deception, both subtle and blatant going on in America and around the world? The answer is quite obviously avery loud yes to anyone not living under a large rock, anyone not under strong delusion, or even Christians who either have never been taught anything about end-times prophecies in church or just have no interest in them. Another possibility is those distractedby the false teachings of “another Jesus.” Some of the deceptions about to be discussed may seem off the main point of Jesus’ warning about false prophets coming in His name and claiming, “I am the Christ”; however,please bear with me, as they fall under the category of not being deceived by any of the devil’s ploys. That would include deceptions that are instrumental in establishing a one-world government with the Antichrist and his False Prophet at the helm, as revealedby Jesus in Revelation 13. All of these deceptions come back to the original point later in this article. A blitzkrieg of deceptions of all kinds has penetrated modern civilization on pretty much every level. There is an endless parade of lies, scams, false advertising, and trickeryassaulting the average person on a daily basis. We do our best to navigate through it all while wondering if there is anyone other than God, family, and close friends who can be trusted. A person has to be on constant vigilance against the plethora of scams that have been around for a while as well as being on the alert for clever new scams, each one designedto separate you from your money or steal your identity, or both. And if possible, stress you out, rob you of peace, and damage your faith. On a larger scale of deception are the massive lies coming from the unelected mega-wealthy globalist elite and their army of bought-and-paid-for politicians and bureaucratsthat run the governments of the world. Many of these lies have a negative impact on believers, pastors, and the church in general. One of the biggest and deadliest lies ever told, and has been repeated over and over by doctors, politicians, big pharma, media spokespersons, famous entertainers, news anchors,presidents, popes, some pastors, and countless talking heads is this one: “The MRNA “vaccines” are safe and effective.” (See Revelation 9:21 and Revelation 18:23.) That wicked untruth has not only deceived millions and millions and likely billions of people; it has also killed and maimed millions more. This deception ranks high on theall-time list for the Pinocchio awards. It has also created division in the church. The minions of Satan are still to this day pushing this lie on the masses despite the mountains of evidence being stacked up by immunologists and researchers who are not ownedby the global elite. By analyzing vax-produced clots extracted in autopsies and blood samples under powerful microscopes, it has been proven by true scientists that these so-called vaccines are,in actuality, deadly bio-weapons filled with ingredients designed to destroy the immune system, cause various types of heart damage, alter God-designed DNA, cause sterility and infertility, and outright kill human beings. A type of sorcery. The pandemic, the jabs, the shutdowns, and the murderous hospital protocols courtesy of an evil little man called Fauci, who was granted sweeping powers to impose Draconianmandates for giving hospitalized Covid patients the deadly Remdesivir and placing them on ventilators, are all part of the globalist plot to establish worldwide medical tyranny as a major method of depopulating the earth to around a half billion people bythe year 2030. The 2030 Agenda was on display on the Georgia Guidestones before they were mysteriously destroyed. There is, at this point, no reason to believe anything that comes out of the mouths of the spokespersons from the CDC, the NIH, the WHO, the WEF, Bill Gates, Big Pharma orthe doctors in their pockets, or any agencies promoting the bald-faced lie that these so-called vaccines are in any way safe. Do not be deceived by lying, arrogant, self-serving globalist-backed doctors who love basking in the spotlight, have a penchant for playing God, and refer to the torture ofpuppies as medical research. Multitudes of people who have rejected God’s amazing grace are being set up and conditioned by these lies to accept a one-world government that will solve all of the problemsthat the globalists themselves have created, and eventually to pledge allegiance to the Antichrist and his false prophet in the huge worldwide fatal deception still to come. The international bankers and heads of international corporations are busy setting up the digital financial system worldwide to control all buying and selling, and that will,at some point, in the “tribulation” include taking “the mark of the beast,” aka a computer chip in the hand or forehead with all of your personal information on it. Do not be deceived at all by anyone or anything (Revelation 13:11-18). In spite of all the deceit, there are those that desperately wish to believe all of the chaos and deception that Jesus warned us about will subside, and then somehow, magically,everything will eventually get back to “normal.” There is no shortage of false prophets today willing to tickle the ears with this false hope (2 Timothy 4:3). Godless tyrannical humans have made this evil mess and are not only incapable of fixing it. Rather, as prophesied, they just keep making it worse and worse and worse, andit is by design that they do so (2 Timothy 3:13-17). The good news is the real Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, can be 100% fully trusted in this world riddled with deception (John 3:16-17). If we heed the warnings of Jesus, we will not be deceived, no matter how subtle the deception or how often lies are repeated until people are gaslighted, browbeaten, and brainwashedinto believing the lies are the truth. By the way, repeating lies relentlessly is a Marxist tactic that has been used successfully many times over the past couple of centuries in various nations, and there neverseems to be a shortage of what Joseph Stalin referred to as “useful Idiots.” These are people who swallow the lies hook, line, and sinker. Today, we might call the useful idiots “the woke mob.” These are the folks who perform on behalf of Satan and his innercircle without any awareness that this is what they are actually doing. Aka, the cancel culture, who truly believe that they are smarter than everyone who dares to question the “woke” narrative and ideology. The upside down, inside out, God-rejecting peoplewho see evil as good and good as evil. Another satanic attempt to deceive us is this one, and it is a doozy. It reminds me of something that occurred in The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis. The ape that controlled thedonkey, who was covered by a lionskin, told the citizens of Narnia that the fake Aslan was named Taslan. It was the combination of the names of the false god Tash and Aslan, the Great Lion who represented Jesus. Now, in actual reality, here on Planet Earth, not in the wonderful yet fictional world of Narnia, we have Pope Francis and Grand Imam Dr. Ahmed el-Tayyeb, with financial backingfrom Mohamed bin Zayed of the UAE, partnering up to create a blasphemous abomination called Chrislam. The Pope, the “alleged” Vicar on earth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, teamed up with the Grand Imam to combine Christianity with Islam. Islam, a religionthat teaches in the Koran that God has no son. Chrislam is now being hailed by the globalist cult as the official one-world religion and seeks to unify all religions in the belief that there are many ways to the truth.A whole lot more could be said about this, but for now, the words of Jesus must suffice. “Do Not Be Deceived”(Matthew 24:24-25). Preaching and teaching “another Jesus” is the work of Satan. The father of lies has come up with numerous variations of “another Jesus. Many of them are detailed in the book,The Kingdom of the Cults by the late Walter Martin. All of these deceptive variations of “another Jesus” are designed by Satan to lead people away from the full Gospel of the Kingdom. Whatever Satan can do to get seekers to misplace their faith in a personor a religion that has no power to save anyone works for him. The full Gospel of the Kingdom teaches the whole entire Bible, including all Old and New Testament prophecy from Genesis to the end of the last millennium when God createsa new heaven and a new earth. The Full Gospel of the Kingdom does this without adding to or subtracting at all from God’s Holy Word. Let us pause for a moment to emphasize something exceedingly important that was recently brought to the attention of readers of the rapture ready articles. It is somethingJonathan Brentner called “Results of divorcing the Rapture from the Gospel.” This statement sheds light on the tragic damage being done by those preaching another Jesus. If, for example, you say you are a churchgoer, but your focus is on the prosperity gospel of gaining material wealth or the teaching of living your best life now, it is unlikelyyou will be paying much, if any, attention to the signs Jesus gave us that would reveal the season we are now in as that of the last days. Or, if the pastor at your church never taught much or anything about end-times prophecy, you might, like so many, believethat we can turn this giant evil mess around and avoid the seven-year Tribulation altogether, or at least delay it long enough to live our best life now. In any case, you might not be at all concerned with the fact that all of the signs Jesus gave us in the Book of Revelation and the four Gospels, as well as the signs givenby the Old Testament prophets and Paul and several of the disciples regarding the Rapture, the Seven Year Tribulation, and the Second Coming. The signs are all converging here in 2023 at the same time (Matthew 24; Mark 13; Luke 21; 2 Timothy 3-4). If that were the case, a believer could be missing out on the comfort of knowing that the church is not appointed to God’s wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:8-10; Revelation 3:10;1Thessalonians 1:10). Also, that believer might not have the slightest idea how important the Rapture is to God’s overall plan. It is possible that some who call themselves Christians could be just as clueless as the unsaved as to the things about to take place in this world, thanks to the divorceof the Rapture from the Full Gospel of the Kingdom. The in-your-face wickedness that has reared its ugly head all over the world is getting increasingly vile with each passing day. Evil is relentless, and it is about to bringthe wrath of God upon itself in the Tribulation. It doesn’t seem possible to live your best life now, even if you gave it your best shot. According to scripture, our best life will begin when our Lord Jesus calls us home and gives us eternal bodies free ofcorruption and free from temptation. Our best life now is not the temporary 70 or 80, or even 90 years long sin-infested one here on this earth. It is the sinless eternal one that will last forever in the HolyPresence of God (1 Thessalonians 4:17-18; 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11; John 14:1-4; 1Corrinthians 15:51-52). All false teaching in regard to presenting “another Jesus” have certain things in common. Mainly taking the believers’ focus off of paying attention to the signs of the times,which was something Jesus chastised the Pharisees for at His first advent. It causes believers to not watch or look up, knowing our redemption draws nigh. Or, it encourages believers to not believe in the Rapture or Tribulation at all. Instead of believing in and trusting God’s plan, many instead are counting on human leaders to fix the whole horrendous mess. Tragic are the results of the “Divorce.” What other kinds of subtle deception might the father of all lies be whipping up in an attempt to deceive the very elect? Since the scriptures prophecy an apostasy (2 Thessalonians 2:3) and a great falling away from the faith in the last days, it is possible the great deceiver would attempt touse revivals to advance that thing called “wokism” into a deeper infiltration of the Laodicean church. Hopefully and prayerfully, the college campus revivals we are seeing are part of a worldwide Holy Spirit-led “Last Call” just before the Rapture to bring as many souls intoGod’s Eternal Family as possible as the church age of grace comes to a close, the trumpet sounds, the Lord calls, and in the twinkling of an eye, the Rapture becomes a part of history (1 Thessalonians 4:17-18). One way to tell if a revival was not Holy Spirit-led would be that instead of preaching and teaching repentance of sin, including ALL sexual sin, and if it were led by thespirit of wokism, would instead, by omission, call for tolerance of all such carnal sins. Test the spirits to be certain they are from God, and watch out that no one deceives you, said Jesus (1 John 4:1-2; Matthew 24:3-5). God knows every last soul who will climb aboard the heaven-bound train even to the last day before it leaves this earthly station. There is no shortage of room. All who willheed the Savior’s call to repentance, believe in Him, and be born again will be most welcome. Signing off with a poem called “Running Out of Time” Here is one last poem, and this is the opening line: The people of Planet Earth are running out of time. A watchman declares the ending of the 11th-hour rhyme Because the midnight clock keeps ticking and is about to chime. Only a moment or so is left in this age of grace, And so, turn to the only Savior of the entire human race. If you have already done so, then praise Him and rejoice; Praise Jesus in whom you have trusted, for soon you will hear His voice. He will say come hither to the place I prepared for thee, There in the first resurrection of your forever family. It will happen in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye; Eternal life begins for believers at that meeting in the sky. All who have chosen to reject God’s heavenly invitation, Clinging to a path that leads to a very dark destination, Know it is not God’s will that anyone should perish; Yet, He will honor your freewill choice that you so deeply cherish. Some say I am a dreamer for imagining heaven and hell, Although it’s our own freewill choice as to where we eternally dwell. Here at the end of these verses, comes this closing line: The people here on the Planet called Earth are running out of time. Today is the perfect day to call out to Jesus if you haven’t already done so. He loves you so much. Repent and trust in Him alone as your Lord and Savior. He will forgiveyou, wash away all of your sins, and give you the amazing gift of eternal life. Do this and then tell someone. Jesus will be the best friend you have ever had now and forever and ever. Shalom in the name of Jesus, Rick Segoine

Jesus Didn’t ‘Unhitch’ From the Old Testament

 Jesus Didn’t ‘Unhitch’ From the Old Testament… And Neither Should Professing Christians – By Calvin Smith - https://harbingersdaily.com/in-depth-jesus-didnt-unhitch-from-the-old-testament-and-neither-should-professing-christians/ Imagine going to your favorite coffee shop to get your morning pick-me-up and witnessing the following conversation. Glancing up from your phone while standing in line, youlisten to the rather bubbly person in front of you begin to place their order. I’d like a tall caramel latte with two pumps of vanilla, some chocolate sprinkles, whipped cream, and then a little pumpkin spice to top it all off. Oh, and no cup please! Observing the barista’s astonished response, you can’t help thinking that perhaps you both misheard what the person ordering said. And after a bewildering back and forth betweenthem, with the server attempting to clarify what type of container they would like their ooey gooey concoction placed in, the customer bats their eyes and says, Well, I just don’t like cups, they’re too rigid and constraining. I want my drink without all of the baggage that cups bring. They just limit the experience! Now, if you think that scenario sounds too far out to imagine, think again. Because although it’s obviously imaginary and just an analogy, it’s an intellectual equivalentto what many professing believers in Jesus Christ seem to be attempting to do regarding their faith. It’s as if some today want to embrace Jesus and imbibe his teachings, while at the same time jettisoning the encapsulating framework surrounding the very reasons anyone wouldeven need a relationship with the risen Christ! This framework is, of course, the Old Testament. New Testament Christians? And not only is this seen in run-of-the-mill individuals who seem to want to distance themselves from Old Testament teachings, but even many Bible colleges, seminaries, andprominent pastors are trending toward what I’ll simply refer to as “New Testament Christianity.” Now when I say, “New Testament Christianity,” I’m not really referring to a specific, systematized group such as a denominational organization or a specific body of believersthat hold to a particular creedal confession, etc. Rather, it’s more like a movement among professing believers with a seemingly more modern mindset who appear to want to distance themselves, in an overarching authoritative sense, from biblical history priorto Christ’s coming. I have actually spoken with people in person and dialoged with several on our AiG–CA Facebook page who identify as such. And what typifies people involved in this way of thinkingis a seeming attempt to deflect from the plain reading of several specific Old Testament passages, or in some cases, entire sections of the Bible—particularly Genesis 1–11. And unfortunately, in my experience, once they begin down this road, it is extremely rare to see them backtrack toward a staunch defense of the Old Testament. Rather, it almostalways results in a further distancing from it. Exhibit A: Andy Stanley A well-known example would be Pastor Andy Stanley, who’s made several statements regarding his opinion of how he believes Christians should approach their handling of theOld Testament and why. One such statement was made during a 2017 interview with Russell Moore, where Stanley encouraged his listeners to emphasize Jesus’ resurrection when witnessing to people,while simultaneously taking their focus off “the Bible.” And what parts of the Bible did he mention specifically? I would ask preachers and pastors and student pastors in their communications to get the spotlight off the Bible and back on the resurrection…. When you’re dealing with secular people, as soon as you say “the Bible,” everybody now knows all the problems with the Bible. And when I say problems, the problems in termsof the culture’s view of the Bible, in terms of six-day creation, no geological evidence for a worldwide Flood, and there’s no evidence for the Exodus….And when they, in their minds, can discredit parts, it discredits the whole…. Now to be fair, Stanley affirmed his personal belief in the inspiration of all of the Bible at that time, and stated he encouraged this approach predominantly because of morepragmatic reasons. But you will notice that in his examples of “problems with the Bible,” he only referenced Old Testament events. Apparently, he had come to believe and begun to promote this methodology some time before, because in a sermon a year earlier, he’d made this statement. For the first 300 years, the debate centered on an event, not a book. The question for the first 300 years was not: Is the Bible true?…The question was: Did Jesus rise fromthe dead? And Matthew said, “Oh yes, He did,” and Mark said, “Oh yes, He did,” and Luke said, “Oh yes, He did,” and John said, “Oh yes, He did,” and Peter said, “Oh yes, He did,” and James the brother of Jesus said, “Oh yes, He did.” Here you’ll notice he is mentioning the resurrection event and quoting the testimonies from New Testament characters. Of course, those testimonies regarding that event comefrom the Bible, and the secular world tends to lump the entire Bible together anyway. So, the question of whether the Bible is true or not is still the issue. In addition, a year after his interview with Moore, Stanley made another rather startling comment in a sermon series encouraging those who’ve left the church to reconsiderChristianity. In it, he announced that Christians need to “unhitch” the Old Testament from their understanding of the faith, which he described as meaning Christians should basically ignore the Old Testament and focus solely on the resurrection of Jesus Christ,especially in evangelism. WWJD? But of course, the ultimate problem with this way of thinking is that it is in direct opposition to how Jesus taught during his earthly ministry! Jesus quoted the Old Testamentas his ultimate authority whenever he said, “It is written” or “Have you not read?” and Scripture mentions how: Mathew 7:28–29 KJV – “And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, andnot as the scribes.” Again, Stanley (like many “New Testament Christians”) seems to always want to steer people away from the Old Testament with comments such as, “Jesus’ new covenant…can standon its own two nail-scarred resurrection feet. It does not need propping up by the Jewish scriptures” (emphasis mine). But Jesus did the opposite, he actually warned people (this is recorded in the New Testament, by the way) that belief in the Torah was linked to belief in his teachings directly(not the other way around) when he said, John 5:46–47 KJV – “For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?” So, rather than trying to avoid the Old Testament, we should be doubling down and engaging in ways to help people understand they can trust the Old Testament from the veryfirst verse—particularly Genesis 1-11 which is the seedbed of all Christian doctrines. The Seedbed of Christianity For example, take just three topics—marriage, gender, and sanctity of life. These are huge cultural issues the church is dealing with today. To uphold and present the biblicaldefense of traditional marriage (one man with one woman), male and female gender roles, and the right to life of the unborn and infirm, one has to trace their origin back to the book of Genesis. But of course, Stanley is correct in his observation that the world has built up a massive amount of negativity and doubt against the acceptance of Genesis as plainly writtenin order to discount its credibility. They understand it is foundational to Christianity and that “if the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3). And the reason they’ve been able to do so is that for the most part, the church hasn’t taught its people how to defend against the arguments skeptics have built up, particularlythose coming from the secular scientific perspective concerning old earth geological perspectives and the story of evolution as an explanation of how life supposedly evolved with no Creator required. But instead of avoiding the Old Testament like Stanley recommends, why not help people understand that the creation account as written does not contradict science, how thereis great explanatory power in the flood narrative in relation to the rocks and fossils we see all over the earth, and that events like the exodus (recorded by Moses) really happened! After all, Jesus made the link between the spiritual and the physical world when he spoke to Nicodemus and said, John 3:12 KJV – “If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?” And Jesus couldn’t have been more clear in defending biblical authority and the truth of his teachings being connected to the authenticity of the Old Testament as when hetold the story of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16:19–31. In it, both Lazarus (a beggar) and the rich man (who mistreated Lazarus in life) die. Lazarus is comforted, while the rich man suffers torment. So the rich man begs Abrahamto send Lazarus back to his five still-living brothers so they won’t suffer the same fate. And what was the answer? Luke 16:31 KJV – “And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” Of course, the phrase “Moses and the Prophets” refers to the Old Testament—the Bible of Jesus’ day. And what Jesus is teaching here is that a resurrection (the exact eventStanley says Christians should be focusing on) won’t be sufficient to convince those who won’t “hear” Moses and the Prophets (the Old Testament). Nothing New Under the Sun Not surprisingly, today’s New Testament Christians’ approach of trying to distance themselves from the framework of the Old Testament while wishing to hold onto the teachingsof Jesus in the New Testament isn’t a new tactic whatsoever. It’s been tried and has failed continuously ever since the idea of long ages and the story of evolution were popularized in the 1800s. Just look at the following statement from Thomas Huxley (nicknamed “Darwin’s bulldog” because of his defense of the story of evolution to justify his atheistic faith) in 1897.He clearly saw through the Christians of his day who had attempted the same method, and he called them out on it publicly. My utmost ingenuity does not enable me to discover a flaw in the argument thus briefly summarized. I am fairly at a loss to comprehend how any one, for a moment, can doubtthat Christian theology must stand or fall with the historical trustworthiness of the Jewish Scriptures. The very conception of the Messiah, or Christ, is inextricably interwoven with Jewish history; the identification of Jesus of Nazareth with that Messiahrests upon the interpretation of passages of the Hebrew Scriptures which have no evidential value unless they possess the historical character assigned to them. Answering the Questions of the Day Trying to divert attention away from the questions people have about the authenticity and authority of Scripture in any area is in opposition to the command we see in 1 Peter3:15 where we are told we should have answers for our faith. In doing so we honor our Lord Jesus. 1 Peter 3:15 KJV – “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meeknessand fear:” Attempting to focus on Jesus’ death and resurrection (the reason why those who put their faith and trust in Christ can be saved) while avoiding questions from the people whoare legitimately wondering how all the “races” of people could possibly have come from one man (Adam, who is the reason why we need salvation in the first place) makes no sense. Acts 17:26 KJV – “And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds oftheir habitation;” Romans 5:12 KJV – “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:” It seems confusing to most to sidestep people’s questions regarding the legitimacy of the flood account (in light of the rocks and fossils found worldwide and the concernof how Noah could have possibly put all the animals on the ark) when the New Testament writers appear to have taken the account as real history. Matthew 24:37–39 KJV – “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking,marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Hebrews 11:7 KJV – “By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned theworld, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” Just like the bewildered barista trying to comprehend how on earth someone could want their drink without a cup to put it in, so too is a befuddled world looking at Christianswho want the good news of Jesus and the resurrection without having a solid vessel surrounding it that contains and explains the bad news of why Christ needed to come in the first place. The bottom line is that there’s logically no such thing as a “New Testament Christian” because Christians are followers of Jesus, and Jesus didn’t model that approach whatsoever.So if someone says to you, “I’m a New Testament Christian,” just remind them that Jesus wasn’t!