The Most Important Prophetic Sign Of All Has Bloomed Right Before Our Eyes

 The Most Important Prophetic Sign Of All Has Bloomed Right Before Our Eyes – ByDavid Reagan - https://harbingersdaily.com/the-fig-tree-withered-for-thousands-of-years-is-blooming-in-our-age/ When Jesus walked throughout the Promised Land 2000 years ago, Israel was already past its prime. The golden era under David and Solomon had come and gone. Divided into Israel and Judah, theJews had been conquered by the Assyrians and Babylonians and carted off into exile. Fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah, Cyrus had encouraged Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. Waves of exiles returned from the east, repopulating the Land—evenas Samaritans and others now shared the territory once known as Israel. Then came Alexander and his generals, followed by Rome and its legions. To the Caesars, the Jews of Judea were a bothersome population in a backwater territory who were frustratingly insistenton maintaining their own religion. Convictional Jews longed for the Messiah. Zealous Jews sought a military leader to throw off Rome’s yoke. None of them were expecting the Anointed One to lay down His life on a cross. While He ministered, Jesus consistently challenged the expectations of His disciples and His followers. He showed them that God is not pleased by sanctimonious religiosity, but with repentanceand obedience. Through His death, He offered the innocent blood needed to ensure that God’s wrath would pass over anyone who put their faith in Him. Jesus’ message was clearly for the Jews first, even as He demonstrated a willingness to bless Gentiles as well. However, His love for individual Jews was matched by impatience with the Jewsas a collective whole. That is why He offered His disciples a dramatic object lesson by cursing a hapless fig tree on His way to cleanse the temple of money-changers. Matthew 21:19 KJV – “And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. Andpresently the fig tree withered away.” That fig tree, found barren of figs even though it was not the season for figs, withered dramatically at Jesus’ command. Cast Aside, but not Forsaken We are sometimes convinced that Jesus was meek and mild to the point of being a wimp. Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus balanced unfathomable power with absolute control. He didnot lash out in rash anger or wring His hands in the face of evil. With a word He stilled a storm, healed broken bodies, and restored life. He described the judgment that would fall upon Jerusalem and the Jews in general, because most of them refused to acceptHim in their time of visitation. Symbolized by a fig tree, the nation that bore little fruit would itself be cursed to wither for a season. Approximately 40 years after Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven, Rome’s 10th Legion put down a Jewish insurrection with an iron boot, destroying the temple in the process.Those Jews who were not slaughtered in Judea were driven out of the Land. For the next 1800 years, Jews became known as outcasts and vagabonds. They were persecuted and ostracized. They were forcibly converted and then accused of heresy. Inquisitions, pogroms, andedicts kept them down and out in most of the places they dared to try to live. Lacking much fruit in the season of His first Advent, the Jewish nation was cut off and cast aside for almost 2 millennia. The lesson of Luke 13:6-9 was applied to God’s own chosenpeople. But that is not the end of the story. During the long centuries of the Diaspora—the Jewish dispersal among the nations—as the Jews were afflicted and oppressed, the Land became barren. Although in the fullness of time, God preparedboth the people and the Land to realize the prophetic promises. In the late 1800s, a few impassioned Zionists were advocating for a Jewish state. However, most Jews believed they were accepted by the societies in which they lived. The Jewish emphasis onacademic study and financial prowess made them excellent students, musicians, businessmen, artists, doctors, scientists, and citizens. In spite of lurking antisemitism and episodic persecution, most Jews were content to pursue quiet lives in places like Germany,Poland, France, and Russia. All that would change in the 20th Century. Preparing the Land for the People Lest we get ahead of our story, it is important to realize that just as fertile soil is required for a healthy fig tree, the Land had to be prepared for the people before the Diaspora couldreturn. Over the centuries following Rome’s expulsion of the Jews in 70 AD, the Promised Land fell under a curse. Known as Palestine (the Latinized version of the name given to the Holy Land by theRomans), it was controlled by a succession of foreign powers—including Christian crusaders and Islamic caliphates. By the 15th century, the Ottoman Empire obliterated the 1000-year Christian Byzantine Empire and began to rule Palestine with a heavy hand. God’s curse lingered on the Land throughout the millennia of the Jewish exile—as foretold in Ezekiel 33:28-29. And make no mistake, the Land was forsaken—denuded of vegetation, deprived ofpeople, and largely devoid of life. In 1869, Mark Twain documented the cursed status of the Holy Land in his book, The Innocents Abroad. He rightfully understood that God’s hand of judgment had fallen on His own Promised Land. But when Europe was consumed by war early in the 20th Century, the “sick man” Ottoman Empire sided with Germany. It chose poorly. In the aftermath of the war, the victorious allies dividedthe Ottoman territory among themselves. Thus, France came to oversee Lebanon and Syria, and the British acquired a mandate to govern Palestine and Trans-Jordan. For the first time in almost 2 millennia, the Jewish Seder prayer, “Next year in Jerusalem,” seemedlike more than a throw-away sentiment. Once the land was wrested from its Ottoman occupiers and a commitment had been given to support Jewish aspirations, reestablishment of Israel would have seemed to be a fait accompli. But Jewishmotivation was not yet sufficient to emigrate to a Middle East wasteland. The horror of the Nazi Holocaust changed Jewish hearts and minds. Jews realized that away from their Promised Land they would always be homeless. So, by the thousands (and eventually millions)they streamed back to Eretz Israel—the Land of Israel. The fig tree branch was becoming tender and beginning to put out leaves. Now Learn This Lesson from the Fig Tree In the week between the triumphal entry of Palm Sunday and His crucifixion, Jesus spoke much about Israel’s rejection (Matthew 21:28-44), the shift of the Gospel to the Gentiles (Matthew 22:1-14),and the judgment about to fall on Israel (Matthew 23:13-39). He also responded when the disciples asked Him, “Tell us, when will these things (the destruction of the temple) happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Matthew24:3). We have extensively addressed the discourse that follows in Matthew 24. But the lesson of the fig tree offers a key to understanding the timing of the end. Jesus said, “Now learn the parablefrom the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door” (Matthew 24:32-33). There are many signs contained in the proceeding 27 verses. But Jesus specifically pointed His disciples back to the dramatic lesson of the fig tree from earlier in the same week. The figtree that was cursed for failing to bear fruit for the Messiah would be restored. And, along with all the other signs of the times, that crucial sign tells those with eyes to see that He is near. Evidence Right Before Your Eyes Ask the average Christian to describe a present-day fulfillment of Bible prophecy and they’ll probably look at you funny. The idea that God is actively bringing His ancient promises to passbefore our very eyes is something they probably haven’t considered. But over the past 100 years, the amazement of Habakkuk 1:5 is once again appropriate: “Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days—youwould not believe if you were told.” That was the way the Lord described His plan to raise up the Chaldeans to sweep across the Jewish nation. Habakkuk was appalled at the horror of such a judgment and registered his complaintbefore the Lord. God reiterated the finality of His declaration, saying, “For the vision is yet for the appointed time; it hastens toward the goal and it will not fail. Though it tarries, wait for it; for it will certainly come, it will not delay” (Habakkuk2:3). In the case of the most important prophetic sign of all, the evidence is right before our eyes. The withered tree that did not bear fruit when Jesus was here 2000 years ago has become tenderand put forth new branches. We know that He is coming soon. I Know the Plans I Have for You Throughout the Old Testament, God offered glimpses of His plans—His Gospel plan, His plan to discipline yet protect and preserve Israel, and His plan to bring all of human history to a close.Scoffers have dismissed the relevance of His plans for ages because God has tarried. But those of us who put our faith in Christ are given understanding when we “read and heed” (in the language of Revelation 1:3 and 22:7) His prophetic Word. In his beautiful song, “It is Well With My Soul,” Horatio Spafford wrote, “And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight…” Some of the glorious promises of Bible prophecy still awaitfulfillment. Others are being fulfilled before our very eyes. We can bear witness to God’s faithfulness by pointing to the promises He is keeping right now. That is also why we take pilgrims to Israel: to bear witness to what God is doing in our own day andage. Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So Take a moment and read Psalm 107. In light of the Diaspora (the scattering of the Jews) for almost 2000 years, see if that Psalm does not describe the Jewish regathering “from the east and from the west, from the north andfrom the south” (v. 3). One day Jewish eyes will be opened en masse to see the Messiah. Until then, you and I have a great privilege. We are among the redeemed mentioned in verse 2. We know already that the LORD is good; that His lovingkindness is everlasting. If you are among the redeemed of the Lord, don’t miss an opportunity to say so. In the words of Psalm 107:43, “Who is wise? Let him give heed to these things, and consider the loving kindnessesof the LORD.” In conclusion, all of the great prophetic promises fulfilled just recently in the land of Israel prove that we are living on borrowed time!

The Great Recession

 The Percentage Of Americans That Worry They Won’t Be Able To Pay Their Bills Is Higher Than It Was During The Great Recession- by Michael Snyder - https://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/the-percentage-of-americans-that-worry-they-wont-be-able-to-pay-their-bills-is-higher-than-it-was-during-the-great-recession/ Do you remember how painful the Great Recession was? 2008 and the years immediately following were definitely a very dark chapter in our history, but a new study has actually found that thepercentage of Americans that worry they won’t be able to pay their bills is actually higher today than it was back then. Slowly but surely, our economic strength has been fading and our standard of living has been falling. Unfortunately, now we have reacheda point where a very large portion of the U.S. population is really struggling. According to a CNN poll that was just released, almost 40 percent of all U.S. adults “say they worry most or all of the time that their family’s income won’t be enough to meetexpenses”… Many Americans regularly worry they won’t be able to make ends meet. Nearly four in ten (39%) of US adults say they worry most or all of the time that their family’s income won’t be enough to meet expenses, according to a new CNN poll. That’s up from 28% whoexpressed those concerns in December 2021, and it’s similar to the numbers seen during the Great Recession (37%). To cope, significant shares of Americans said they are adding side jobs, cutting down on driving and putting more expenses on credit cards. If you would have asked me before I saw the results, I would have been quite confident that the number during the Great Recession would have been higher than the number in 2024. Just like everyone else, I remember the Great Recession as such a painful time. Sadly, the economic pain that we are experiencing now is just beginning. Ordinary Americans from coast to coast are being absolutely crushed by rising prices, and that isn’t going to change any time soon. In an article that CNN posted about this new survey, one woman that works for the CDC admitted that she was recently forced to move because costs have risen so aggressively… “The grocery store is just outrageous right now. But it’s not just that. Everything has gone up. Clothing. My insurance,” said Angela Russell, an Ohio resident who works as a program analystat the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Russell, who has two adult children and three grandkids, said she recently moved out of her rental home in Cincinnati in favor of one in a rural area where the rent is cheaper. Other recent surveys have come up with results that are even more alarming. For example, one discovered that a whopping 71 percent of Americans are stressed out about their “ability to afford everyday expenses”… 71% of Americans say they’re stressed by their ability to afford everyday expenses. Americans most regularly spend money on groceries, phone bills, utilities, gasoline and rent/mortgage payments. Grocery bills frustrate Americans more than any other regular expense. Utilities, rent/mortgage payments, gasoline and insurance payments round out the top five most annoying expenses. That is most of the country. Unsurprisingly, younger generations are being hit particularly hard by the pain of inflation… Financial stress levels are highest among millennials (77%), followed by Generation Z (75%) and Generation X (74%). Baby boomers reported experiencing the least financial stress, althoughat 59% it was still more than half of those surveyed. Those that follow my work regularly know that I tend to rant about rising prices at the grocery store. Sometimes it is hard for me to believe that prices have gotten so high, and it appears that a lot of people out there agree with me. Another recent survey found that 80 percent of Americans have observed a “notable increase” in grocery store prices… According to a study by Qualtrics on behalf of Intuit Credit Karma, 80% of Americans say they have felt a “notable increase” in grocery costs in recent years. More than a quarter of respondentssaid the increased cost has led them to occasionally skip meals, while about one-third said they spend more than 60% of their monthly income on mandatory expenses such as food, utilities and rent. Food has certainly become ridiculously expensive, but we actually spend far more money on housing. Today, the typical household spends about 12 percent of total income on food and about 33 percent of total income on housing… According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top three annual expenses for the average American household in 2022 (the most recent data available) were housing (33.3%), transportation(16.8%) and food (12.8%). For most Americans, spending money in these areas is unavoidable. Housing costs have been rising much faster than the overall rate of inflation, and we just learned that home prices reached yet another new all-time record high last month… Home prices hit a new high in June for the second straight month, the latest sign that the housing market is unaffordable to millions of Americans. The spring home-buying season, usually the busiest time of year for the housing market, was a dud this year. Home sales declined in June for the fourth straight time on a monthly basis. Thecombination of high prices and elevated mortgage rates has made homeownership less attractive to renters and deterred current homeowners from moving. Meanwhile, homelessness in the United States is at the highest level ever recorded and it has been growing at the fastest pace ever recorded. We just can’t keep going on like this. Something has to give. It appears to be inevitable that all of this economic pain will have a dramatic impact on the upcoming election. At this point, approximately three out of every five Americans believe thatwe are already in a recession right now… You don’t need to be a financial genius to know that times are tough for plenty of Americans. With that in mind, a majority of people actually think the economy is doing even worse than the “experts” say it is. Three in five people believe that the U.S. is currently in a recession, even though we’re not officially in one according to the financial definition. The survey of 2,000 Americans explored what’s driving this lack of consumer confidence in the economy. Inflation and the rising cost of living (68%) top the list of reasons why respondentsbelieve the U.S. is in a recession, followed by friends and family members complaining about money (50%). It is not an accident that this has happened. For more than a decade, people like me have been relentlessly warning that the decisions that our leaders were making would have disastrous consequences, and that is exactly what has happened. And if we stay on the path that we are on, it won’t be too long before we witness a meltdown of absolutely epic proportions.

The Breathtaking Speed of End Times Signs

 The Breathtaking Speed of End Times Signs - By Daymond Duck - https://www.raptureready.com/2024/07/20/breathtaking-speed-by-daymond-duck/ On July 10, 2024, it was reported that a large TV station (Auf1) with outlets in Germany and Austria that opposes forced COVID-19 vaccinations, transhumanism, climate hysteria, the Great Reset,and more has had 8 bank accounts shut down in recent weeks. Stefan Magnet (the station founder and editor-in-chief) said: •We were already a painful thorn in the side of the political and media cartel during the coronavirus era, and now that the Great Reset is being prepared and implemented at breathtaking speedon many levels, we are even more in their way. •The globalists use their direct connections in the control centers of the banking industry to get rid of annoying opponents at the drop of a hat. Magnet (who employs lawyers and tax advisors to ensure that he obeys the laws) has reluctantly moved the station’s bank accounts from Germany and Austria to Hungary. The station’s problems have implications for: •Globalism (silencing the opponents of world government). •Birth pains (prophetic fulfillment speeding up at the end of the age). •Mark of the Beast (kicking people out of the economic system if they do not support the globalist agenda). These signs are shaping up at breakneck speed. When Jesus was asked about the signs of His coming, one thing He said was: “When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree [Israel], and all thetrees [nations]; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things [signs] come to pass, know [don’t assume; know] ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I sayunto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. “And take heed to yourselves [don’t get careless], lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares[catches you not watching]. For as a snare [like a trap that slams shut like when God closed the door to the ark in the days of Noah] shall it come on all them [them, not us; all unbelievers] that dwell on the face of the whole earth [all over the world].Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” (Luke 21:28-36). All the signs indicate that society is fast approaching the Rapture and Tribulation Period. Our generation could very well be the Terminal Generation that will never die (Jn. 11:25-26). Here are some of the signs that seem to indicate this: One, on June 21, 2024, it was reported that Brexit leader Nigel Farage (head of a political partycalled Reform UK) was debanked. He pointed out that Canada’s government froze the bank accounts of Canadian truckers who were protesting draconian COVID mandates. When asked who is doing this, Farage said global and banking institutions, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development OECD),the Bank of England, the European Union (EU), and the United Nations (UN). When asked how people can combat this, Farage said, •Don’t vote for globalists. •Have more than one bank account (3 is not too many). •Buy hard assets such as gold. •Use cash (don’t cooperate with the globalist cashless society). (Note: I am not givinganyone financial advice. I am telling readers what Farage said.) Two, concerning wars and rumors of wars: on July 10, 2024, the U.S. and Germany announced that theU.S. will deploy long-range Tomahawk and newly developed hypersonic missiles in Germany in 2026. Russia called it a serious mistake. (More: On July 13, 2024,Russia’s Pres. Putin warned the EU that deploying U.S. missiles to their countries would put their capitals in danger, and deploying long-range missiles to Germany could spark WWIII.) Three, concerning deceit and a population reduction: on July 11, 2024, it was reported that theHeritage Foundation’s Nonpartisan Commission on China and COVID-19 found that the pandemic caused 1,476,457 excess deaths in the U.S. from 2020 to 2022 and cost the U.S. more than 18 trillion dollars, but no one has been held accountable. Four, concerning the Battle of Gog and Magog: on July 12, 2024, Russia urged Israel to refrain fromattacking Syria and warned that continued attacks on Syria might lead to dangerous consequences. (More: On July 13, 2024,Israel struck a Syrian command center and several sites in and around Damascus.) Five, concerning the attempted assassination of former Pres. Trump on July 13, 2024: here are someof my thoughts: •There will be great wickedness at the end of the age like it was in the days of Noah (Matt. 24:37). •Murder will be a prominent sin during the Tribulation Period (Rev. 9:20-21). •The coming world government (the Antichrist and False Prophet) will kill many during the Tribulation Period (Rev. 13:15). •Making America Great Again (MAGA) goes against the globalist intent to surrender the sovereignty of the U.S. to the New World Order (Rev. 13:7). •Globalists (and their puppets in the Democrat Party) have done everything they can to stop Trump and MAGA (investigate him on fake Russian collusion charges, raid his home, impeach him onmade-up charges, ruin him financially, possibly jail him, import illegals, and empower them to vote, censor him on social media, etc.). •Democrats have panicked (they are afraid a Trump victory will increase the Republican lead in the House, shift the Senate majority from Democrat to Republican, appoint conservative judgesto the Supreme Court, pardon the J6 group, retaliate for their unlawful actions, fire the heads of the FBI, CIA, Justice Dept., etc.). •Democrats in high offices in Washington have openly called for Trump to be stopped at any cost. •Some, including Pres. Biden and many in the media, have often compared Trump to Adolph Hitler and said his election would be the end of Democracy. •When Trump supporters spoke out about the Democrats’ dangerous rhetoric, they were often accused of spreading conspiracy theories. •Members of Trump’s family publicly expressed concern that someone might try to kill him. For an amazing video (11.25 min.) about Trump being shot in the ear and more, go to this link: (HERE) (Note: I don’t know whatto say about this, and I am not endorsing Roman Catholicism, but God knows what will happen before it happens, and all things are possible with God. I strongly recommend you watch all of it.) •I have read that Trump asked the Secret Service to increase his protection, but it was denied. •Many of my friends have expressed concern that someone might try to kill Trump before the Nov 5, 2024, presidential election. •Several times, I have said there is no telling what the globalists will try to do to stop Trump. •It has been reported that some Secret Service agents at the Trump rally were temporary agents, not Trump’s regular detail. •Prophecy expert Bill Koenig believes Trump has major angelic protection beyond that of the Secret Service. •Trump said it was God alone that prevented the unthinkable from happening. •An unidentified source close to Trump said Trump believes he has been given a gift from God, and Trump intends to change the theme of the Republican National Convention and use it to tryto unify the U.S. •One Rapture Ready reader suggested that God may be giving the U.S. one last chance to keep its sovereignty. I hope so, but I believe all nations, including the U.S., will lose their sovereignty(Rev. 13:7). •The House Committee on Oversight and Investigation has already announced that it will investigate the incident. (My opinion: I am not surprised that someone tried to assassinate him, and I will not be surprisedif there are more attempts in the future.) (More: On July 15, 2024, Trump announced that he has selected J.D. Vance to be his Vice. Pres. runningmate. Vance has been a staunch supporter of Israel. This is particularly important because of God’s promise to bless those that bless Israel and curse those that curse Israel. If Trump does become the next president – a big if – replacing him with a staunchsupporter of Israel will be good for America.) Six, concerning false accusations, deceit, and corruption in Washington: on July 15, 2024, the U.S.District Court Judge who was presiding over the case that accused former Pres. Trump of illegally taking classified documents to his home in Florida dismissed it. Judge Cannon ruled: •That U.S. Attorney Gen. Garland illegally appointed Jack Smith to be a Special Prosecuting Attorney to prosecute Trump. •That the prosecution was improperly funded by a Congressional fund that was established for other purposes. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the ruling must be appealed immediately. According to the report, Smith will likely appeal Judge Cannon’s ruling. Seven, concerning the days of Lot (sexual immorality) and the decline of America: on July 16, 2024,it was reported that Elon Musk said he will move X (formerly Twitter) and Space X from California to Texas because California passed a law that will harm children (force the LGBTQ agenda on children without the parent’s knowledge). Here is my daily update on the Israel-Hamas war: Thursday, July 11, 2024 (Day 280): The two-hundred twenty-fourth day of the resumed war. Day 66 of the attack on Rafah. •Israel said it will not stop fighting until all the hostages are returned. •Israel notified the UN that it had identified 100 terrorists who worked for the UNRWA. •The UNRWA has been endorsing terrorism under the guise of helping Palestinians. Friday, July 12, 2024 (Day 281): The two-hundred twenty-fifth day of the resumed war. Day 67 of the attack on Rafah. •Hezbollah missiles have burned more than 30,000 acres in northern Israel. •Israel killed a deputy battalion commander, a company commander, and a prominent Hamas platoon commander in Gaza. •Argentina officially designated Hamas as an international terrorist organization. •Netanyahu said Israel does not intend to withdraw from the Gaza-Egypt border. •Following more Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, U.S. jets attacked an airport and several other Houthi targets in Yemen. Saturday, July 13, 2024 (Day 282): The two-hundred twenty-sixth day of the resumed war. Day 68 of the attack on Rafah. •Israeli troops believe (but have not confirmed) that they have killed Mohammad Deif (a close friend of Sinwar and the most senior military commander of Hamas). •Hamas asked Palestinians in the West Bank and in East Jerusalem to attack Jews. Sunday, July 14, 2024 (Day 283): The two-hundred twenty-seventh day of the resumed war. Day 69 of the attack on Rafah. •A lone terrorist in Israel used his vehicle twice to run down 2 Israeli troops (4 altogether) before one of the victims shot and killed him. Monday, July 15, 2024 (Day 284): The two-hundred twenty-eighth day of the resumed war. Day 70 of the attack on Rafah. •Israel struck multiple Hezbollah targets all across Lebanon. Tuesday, July 16, 2024 (Day 285): The two-hundred twenty-ninth day of the resumed war. Day 71 of the attack on Rafah. •Netanyahu said we have no intention of losing this confrontation (Israel’s war with Hamas). •Israel said it has captured or killed about 14,000 Hamas terrorists and about half of the organization’s leaders. Wednesday, July 17, 2024 (Day 286): The two-hundred-thirtieth day of the resumed war. Day 72 of the attack on Rafah. •Late Tuesday and early Wednesday, Hezbollah fired about 100 rockets into northern Israel from Lebanon. •Residents in northern Israel want the government to respond more forcefully to Hezbollah’s attacks. FYI: God does not send anyone to Hell (all of us are born with a sin nature and destined to go toHell because we sin), but God has provided a way (Jesus) for everyone to go to Heaven (and He is the only way to get there; John 14:6). 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; believe that Jesus isthe virgin-born, sinless Son of God who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this. duck_daymond@yahoo.com

Reset or Rapture?

 Reset or Rapture? – Terry James - https://terryjamesprophecyline.com/2024/07/21/reset-or-rapture/ Geopolitical dynamics are at a fever pitch. That is, there is chaos in every direction we look. There is a sense of a mighty shaking within the stratospheric global powers that be. Rather than making the great progress toward instituting their much-ballyhooed Great Reset, those powers are, while God restrains, bumping in a lurching fashion against one barrier after anotherto their blueprint to Build Back Better. It is as if they sense viscerally that they must have everything in place no later than the year 2030 for whatever is coming next in the evolution of humankind. And this is something theythemselves must control, or else the planet is doomed. We who observe the world as it has morally degraded to this point sense just as strongly as the globalist elites that there is indeed a reset that needs to take place. We, through frustrationand Lot-strength vexation sometimes feel as if we, too, are bumping up against barriers to the great change we desire more than anything. Why does the Rapture not happen? is the lament from many of us in this camp. And there is no doubt from this pre-Tribviewpoint: Planet earth is indeed facing doom. We have looked at before in this column the human-centered drive toward having everything in place for the Great Reset. Now, with the turmoil boiling more intensely by the day, with America’sunique position of nation-state dominance, but in chaotic upheaval politically, the holdup to implementation of their “Build Back Better” effort is exacerbated. Here, again, is the story of the dilemma the New World Order-builders face. The United Nations will meet in September for the 79th session of the UN General Assembly, as well as the highly-anticipated “Summit of the Future” where nations will sign the so-called “Pactfor the Future.” The Pact is expected to call for declaring a “planetary emergency.” What does this agreement and its policies mean for the future of individual and national sovereignty? By the end of September, the United Nations member states may vote to radically alter the UN itself, what some are calling UN 2.0, and the very nature of how nation-states make decisions regardingthe future of the planet. The UN will convene for the 79th session of the General Assembly in New York City starting on September 10th in New York City. The high-level general debate will begin on the 24th of September. Although the UNGA is an annual meeting, this year’s gathering will be unique because of the addition of the Summit of the Future, a UN sponsored event taking place in NYC on the 22nd and 23rdof September. The summit has been in the making since at least 2022. It is the latest attempt by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to “rally the troops,” and garner more support for a rapid completion of the Agenda 2030 goals set by the UN in 2015. In May 2023, Guterres revealed that efforts to complete Agenda 2030, and the corresponding Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), were failing. Guterres warned that only 12 percent of the SDGswere on track to be completed. He said progress on 50 percent of the goals is “weak and insufficient,” while 30 percent of the SDGs have “stalled or gone into reverse.” He predicted that if the current trend holds only 30 percent of nations will accomplishSDG1, focused on poverty, by 2030… For those reading between the lines and seeing through the buzzwords, the language of these documents rings of globalist-speak intended to override or outlaw national and individual sovereigntyin favor of world government. A new monetary system, a renewal of the multilateral system – all of this is designed to sell the public on the idea that the UN (or some new international body) is needed to take humanity safely into the future. In truth, weare likely to see major steps towards the creation of a one-world government at the Summit for the Future. (Derrick Broze, “UN 2.0 Coming This Fall – Setting The Stage For Global Government,” Activist Post, 5/1/24) A great rush to bring into being the Great Reset is moving toward the fall of 2024. Some prophecy watchers from the pre-Trib camp have offered that the fall of this year might be a time particularlylikely for God’s Great Reset to take place. Certainly, with all things shaping for the Tribulation seeming to be front and center, both resets might coincide at any moment. You want to be caught up into God’s Great Reset when Christ calls all believers to Himself–not caught in the satanically spawned reset on planet earth that will bring on the worst time ofhuman history. Here is how to go to Jesus when He calls in the Rapture. That if you will confess with your mouth the lord Jesus, and will believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness;and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9–10)

The Gospel is for every generation

 The Gospel is for every generation - Greg Laurie - https://www.wnd.com/2024/07/the-gospel-is-for-every-generation/ 'If you want to know whether you're one of the chosen ones, then believe in Jesus Christ' Imagine for a moment that you knew everything about everyone. I'm not so sure that I would like to be omniscient if I could be. I would hate to know what people really think of me sometimes.But if you knew what the future would be – and if you were a betting person – I'm sure you would bet on a winner, not a loser. God, being omniscient, chose us. Before our parents were born, before their parents were born, and before our first parents ever were on planet Earth, God Almighty, in the councils of eternity,chose us to be his children. But why? What merit or quality did God see in us that caused him to choose us? I hope the answer doesn't disappoint you. God's choice is not based on anything that you or I did. You don't deserve it. I don't deserve it. And I think the reason God chose us is the samereason he chose the nation Israel. He said to the Israelites, "The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! Rather, it wassimply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors" (Deuteronomy 7:7–8 nlt). Why did God choose us? Because he loves us. That's mind-bending when you stop and think about the fact that God knows all things. So, do we have any influence as to who gets chosen? The greatest theological minds have debated this for centuries, and there are good people on both sides of this theological conversation. But I'm not going to worry about who the so-calledelect are. Rather, I'm going to preach the Gospel. And I believe the ones whom God has chosen will believe. If you want to know whether you're one of the chosen ones, then believe in Jesus Christ, and you will confirm it. The Bible tells us, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13 NLT), and "Let anyone who hears this say, 'Come.' Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone whodesires drink freely from the water of life" (Revelation 22:17 NLT). The apostle Paul spoke of how much he cared about his fellow Jews and his desire that they would believe in Jesus. He wrote, "My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for mypeople, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed – cut off from Christ! – if that would save them" (Romans 9:2–3 NLT). Paul was effectively saying that he'd be willing to go to Hell if they could go to Heaven. I'm so glad that we don't have to trade our salvation for the salvation of someone else. Salvationalready has been purchased for everyone who asks Jesus Christ to forgive their sins and come into their lives. No matter who they are, everyone needs to hear the Gospel. Of course, people think that down-and-outers need Jesus, and they do. Thank God that we are never so down or so out that he won'treach out and save us. But the up-and-outers need Jesus, too. What's more, religious people need the Gospel as much as nonbelievers do. Some people think that because they were raised in a Christian home, they're Christians by default. No, they simplywere raised in a Christian home. In fact, some of the worst sinners are raised in Christian homes. That's because they rebel against it. On the other hand, some of the greatest saints come from Christian homes as well. It depends on the person. We love to put the blame on our parents for what's wrong in our lives. But we do have a say-so about the course we take in life, regardless of how we were raised or not raised. We need tohave our own faith. We can't live off the faith of our parents or the faith of anyone else. We need our own relationship with Jesus Christ. In fact, one of the easiest places to get a heart that is hardened toward the Gospel is in church. The same sun that softens the wax hardens the clay. And as we hear the truth of the Gospel,we decide whether we will be responsive or resistant to it. Every time we hear the Gospel and don't respond to it, our hearts can get a little harder. In a sense, we can develop an immunity to the Gospel. Don't let that happen, because everything you'relooking for is available to you in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It's the missing piece that people are searching for in life. Addressing believers, the writer of Hebrews said, "Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the livingGod. You must warn each other every day, while it is still 'today,' so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God" (Hebrews 3:12–13 NLT). That's why every generation needs to hear the Gospel. I think the challenges and pressures young people face today are, in many ways, unprecedented. And I think a lot of that has to do withsocial media. I was an early adopter of smartphones, but I believe that in many ways, they are ruining our lives and having a detrimental effect on young people. We've never been more connected yet disconnectedat the same time. Experts have described Generation Z, those born from the late 1990s to the early 2000s, as the loneliest generation. They communicate through texting more than through face-to-face conversations.Perhaps that's one reason anxiety and depression are so high among members of that generation. The psalmist David wrote, "Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power" (Psalm 145:4 NLT). Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The answer is Jesus – for every generation.

Beware of false prophets

 Beware of false prophets - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com There’s often debate among Christians about modern-day prophets. The guidelines of today suggest ways to “identify” a real prophet and who is false. Basically, what I’ve been told is thata real prophet will always give an encouraging word that “edifies” and the prophecy must also come true. Well, a look at the Bible might give us another perspective about true and false prophets. Think about the great prophets of the Bible and you will seethat their prophecies were not always immediately edifying nor did they come true for hundreds of years. One thing for certain, they were the voice of God. Let’s look at a very famous false “prophet” and how he is viewed by New Testament writers. In Numbers 22:2-25:9, Balak, the king of Moab, sought to curse the Israelites by hiring Bilam the “prophet,” who had a reputation for being able to bless or curse a people—for money, of course.Bilam rode his donkey to meet \ Balak, and the Angel of the LORD stood with a sword to stop him. However, Bilam doesn’t see the angel, but his donkey does and refuses to continue. After three beatings the donkey speaks to Bilam and his eyes are then openedto see the angel–some prophet, right? Bilam is told to go to Balak, but not curse the Israelites. Numbers 22:38 says that when Balak tells Bilam to curse the Israelites, he says,”…I have no power of my own to say anything. The word God tells me to say I willsay.” Bilam told Balak, however, a way to curse the Israelites was to get them to sin against God and Balak then sent Midianite women into their camp and caused the Israelite men to follow the women into idolatry. According to tradition, Bilam had been given the gift of prophesy, but he used it for evil and personal gain. Jude likens false teachers as following the “error of Bilam,” (Jude 1:11), andPeter also speaks of the “way of Bilam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing” (2 Peter 2:5), and Revelation 2;15, the “teaching of Bilam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel.” Very serious offenses according to scripture,unfortunately, we increasingly see this in the contemporary church, even more as the Day of the Lord approaches. The truth of scripture ultimately defines prophecy. And often the devil is in the details of the discerning. Ephesians 4:11-12 says, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry,for the edifying of the body of Christ.” Some translations say for the “building up” of the body of Christ. Obviously, in the false prophet example of Bilam, there was profit motive and it ultimately it did not build up the people of God. Just because it’san encouraging or edifying word, it does not necessarily result in the edifying of the body of Christ. Christ himself said to beware of false prophets, meaning there are those who are not what they appear to be. As we approach the Day of the Lord, we mustbe vigilant and discerning of those who would use the position of prophet and always measure them from the truth in the word of God.

Biden’s Judicial Reject

 Biden’s Judicial Reject - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com Southern District of New York Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn was nominated on April 30 by Joe Biden to a seat on the US District Court for the Southern District. She then became the only Bidennominee for the federal courts to be rejected by the Senate Judiciary Committee. It also marked the first time in this current congress that a Democrat changed sides and voted with Republicans to reject a judicial nominee. In a 10-11 vote, Netburn went downin flames after Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) defected the party line joined a unified Republican contingency. The vote underscored so many very wrong things about the Democratic Party and the political nomination of radical extremists to the federal court system Netburn was rejected because she ruled to transfer a biological male identifying as a transgender woman to a prison that house biological women. July Justine Shelby, born William McClain,a male posing as a woman, pleaded guilty of molesting a nine-year-old boy and raping a 17-year-old girl and spend 18 years in prison, then violated parole and spent another six years in prison before being released in 2015. In 2017 the transgender pleadedguilty for distributing child pornography. After being transferred to the women’s prison, Shelby complained that the women made it clear that he was not welcome at the prison and he feared being attacked by the “violent females” there. Of the 18 Magistrate Judges in the Southern District, Netburn is the only one with a warning notice on her contact page. It reads:” *** NOTICE*** Members of the public are prohibited fromcontacting Judge Netburn’s Chambers about matters pending before the Court. It is a federal crime to communicate with the Court with the intent to influence, intimidate, or impede a judge in the discharge of her official duties. Any communications interpretedas such will be immediately reported to the U.S. Marshals Service for further investigation.” All the other Magistrate Judges’ pages just have their contact information. It would appear that the District Court is trying to protect Netburn from the public backlashof her extremist judicial activism that the Senate Judiciary Committee exposed during its confirmation hearing. Here is a situation where a misguided and extremist judge placed a biological male with numerous sex offenses with both male and females into an all-female prison. All but one democrat onthe Senate Judiciary Committee thought Netburn’s decision was fine. Moreover, Joe Biden nominated this extremist to the Federal court. Her and scores of other extremists approved to the bench are the reasons why the law and the Constitution are being twistedto persecute people who resist or dissent the leftist Marxist agenda promoted by the Democratic Party. Isaiah 10:1-2 says, “Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of fair treatment and withhold justice fromthe oppressed of My people, to make widows their prey and orphans their plunder.” From top to bottom this is, say it with me, Stupidocrisy.

Does God's Wrath Make Him a Monster?

 Does God's Wrath Make Him a Monster? – Dr. David Reagan – www.christinprophecy.org Back in the mid-1990s, a popular radio talk show host interviewed me live on the air via telephone. Everything went well until the host asked me to summarize the fundamentalmessage of my ministry. I responded by saying that God had called me to proclaim "the soon return of Jesus in wrath." Before I could proceed with my explanation, the announcer cut me short. "What do you mean, 'wrath'?" he asked. "I mean that Jesus is going to return very soon to pour out the wrath of God upon those who have rejected God's love and grace and mercy." "Your God is a monster!" he snapped. He then added, "I happen to be a Christian, and I can tell you that my God wouldn't hurt a flea!" That was the end of the interview. He hung up on me. I was not given an opportunity to respond to his misrepresentation of our Creator. Satan's Grand Deception The radio host's vehement response to the wrath of God did not surprise me. It is characteristic of both Christians and non-Christians, and I have encountered it many times. Satan has sold the world a bill of goods concerning the nature of God. Most people, both Christian and non-Christian, tend to view God as being a sort of cosmic teddy bear.They see Him as big and warm and soft, full of infinite love and forgiveness. He couldn't hurt a fly, and He certainly wouldn't be so cruel as to condemn or harm any beings created in His own image. On the Day of Judgment, God will simply give everyone a bighug and wink at their sins. The only problem with this wonderfully comforting image is that it is a lie straight from the pit of Hell. The True God Yes, the Bible teaches that God is loving, patient, caring, and forgiving (Psalms 86:15 and John 3:16). As the apostle John put it, "God is love" (1 John 4:8). But, the Bible also teaches that God is perfectly holy. Because of this attribute of His character, He cannot tolerate sin (Numbers 14:18). The Bible says God must deal withsin, and He does so in one of two ways—either grace or wrath. All of us seem to know John 3:16, but few of us seem to be aware of John 3:36, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who does not obey the Son shall not seelife, but the wrath of God abides on him." The apostle Paul emphasized this point: "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things, the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience" (Ephesians 5:6). We come under God's grace by placing our faith in Jesus and appropriating His atoning sacrifice for our lives (1 John 1:7). There is no salvation apart from Jesus (Acts 4:10-12).Those who have rejected God's free gift of grace in Jesus are under God's wrath (John 3:36), and they have no one to blame but themselves. The Coming Wrath God's eschatological wrath will fall on all the world when Jesus returns (Jude 1:14-15). The passage in Revelation which pictures the return of Jesus says that He will returnin righteousness to "judge and wage war" (Revelation 19:11). The first time Jesus came, He came in loving compassion with eyes filled with tears. But when He returns, He will come in vengeance (Revelation 6:12-17), with eyes like aflame of fire (Revelation 19:12). He will come to destroy the enemies of God (Revelation 19:11). The Meaning of Wrath Does this make God a "monster"? No! On the contrary, it proves His goodness, for how could a good God ignore the evil of sin and allow it to go unpunished? His wrath againstevil will demonstrate His righteousness. God's wrath is never motivated primarily by a desire to punish. Rather, His wrath is designed to bring people to repentance so that they might be saved. Even in His wrath,God remembers mercy. God demonstrates His mercy in wrath by never pouring out His wrath without warning. A Plea There is no reason for any child of God to fear the wrath of God. Paul wrote that since we have been justified by the blood of Christ, "we shall be saved from the wrath ofGod through Him" (Romans 5:9). And in a most comforting verse, Paul told the Thessalonians that Jesus will "deliver" the Redeemed "from the wrath to come" (1 Thessalonians 1:10). The reason, Paul explained, is that "God has not destined us for wrath, but forobtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thessalonians 5:9). Are you under grace or wrath? The choice is yours. Jesus is coming soon. When He appears, will He be your Blessed Hope or your Holy Terror? God loves you and He wants you to accept His Son as your Savior so that you will comeunder His grace.

Faithfulness in a Broken Culture (Part 1)

 Faithfulness in a Broken Culture (Part 1) – Ryan King - https://sharperiron.org/article/faithfulness-broken-culture-part-1 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bearsons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf for in its welfare you will find your welfare. (Jer 29:5, ESV) Jeremiah’s words are not directly for us, but the principles of living as an exile in a foreign land should be heeded by every Christian. We have no lasting city (Heb 13:14), but we do havea responsibility to be active in the culture in which God has sovereignly placed us (Eph 1:11). For many years conservative Christians have neglected the duty to engage in the culture and it has cost us dearly. Every Christian must recognize the fact that we cannot escape our culture. We live in the culture, and we cannot be faithful to the Scriptures without staying in it. In the Great Commission,the Lord commands us to go into all the world to make disciples. As much as we would love to get our favorite people and retreat into a monastery somewhere, this is not an option that results in faithful Christianity. Our culture, even as it continually degradesaround us, is the context in which God has sovereignly placed us and in which we must be found faithful. Sadly, in a practical sense, many pastors isolate themselves without being in the community at all. Practical community involvement does not have to add more to the pastor’s schedule. Frequentingthe same restaurants, barbershops, and coffee shops, walking in our neighborhoods, and engaging with community leaders can result in great opportunities and pastors should be intentional about getting involved. Part of the problem for us is that as our culture descends into further open wickedness, we do not want to be around it. A love of biblical truth makes the sins of the world repulsive to theChristian. It becomes easier to disengage because we find the sins so off-putting. But we must not retreat. Yes, we must protect our families but that does not require us to withdraw from the culture. Rather, we protect our families by teaching them how toengage the culture biblically. Our children aren’t missionaries, they are disciples, and we must faithfully disciple them while keeping wickedness from them. You cannot be faithful to the gospel if you do not interact with the world around you, and in today’sculture that means being around those who adamantly and openly oppose a biblical worldview. While we cannot be faithful and escape our culture, we also recognize that our culture cannot escape Christianity. Whether or not you think America was a Christian nation, there is no denyingthat the Judeo-Christian worldview is the context in which our nation was born, and the ethical and moral principles of that worldview permeate everywhere in our culture. Public schools, hospitals, orphanages, and more were begun out of the love that the Churchhad for the world around it. In the words of Rory Shiner Western culture is “Christ-Haunted.”1 The impact of Christ and His work in His people is everywhere we look. This everywhere presence of Christ in the roots of Western culture opens the door for Christiansto speak into every aspect of society. The problem is that we have failed to do so. Christianity has largely lost the cultural battle because we have disengaged with the world around us. In the mid-1900s, many Bible colleges were started but we never went any further. Westarted Bible colleges for those who would go into ministry and left the other 99% of young people in our churches without biblical education. Very few schools helped build a Christian view of engineering, healthcare, business, or the arts. Many of those thatdid have a broader offering quickly allowed theological liberalism to take over. Socially, we mostly stood by as abortion, homosexual marriage, birth control, divorce, and more took over our society. For many Dispensationalists, we were so convinced that Christwould soon return that we were thinking about the next five years instead of the next five thousand. We have no idea when Christ may return and should be thinking of our great-grandchildren and not just our immediate context. This is not acceptable becausethe truth of God’s Word impacts our culture here and now. We are not to expect Christ to conform to the culture around us but for the culture to be impacted by Christ. This impact always comes from Christians and should predominantly be directedby the local church. The activity of God’s people in the world is what will influence it for good or their lack of activity or even their sin will influence it for evil. The Christian is not to shy back from cultural engagement but approach it with boldnessand clarity. However, this boldness must be appropriately directed. There is a sense in which Christians may cheer for political conservatives to make a difference in our culture. Generally speaking, conservatism is a good thing that benefits our society,but we must beware of the political “Absaloms” that surround us. Conservatism itself is not the goal of the cultural battle. The aim for the Christian is the righteousness of Christ and the glory of God to prevail. This does not mean that we should not votefor someone who is not a Christian, but we should never put our hope in men (Ps 146). Absalom stood outside the gate of the city to win the hearts of the people away from David (2Sa 15:2).2 Christians must beware of those that speak of things that we would approve, but notclaim Christ. We can certainly agree with those who do not follow Christ, but our young conservatives hear people like Vivek Ramaswamy, Joe Rogan, Jordan Peterson, and others, giving these men more time than they give the Scriptures. It is a simple truth thatwe become most like what we give the most time to. Notes 1 Rory Shiner, “Western Culture is Christ-Haunted; Review: The Air We Breathe by Glen Scrivener,” The Gospel Coalition, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/air-we-breathe-review/ 2 Michael Foster and Dominic Bnonn Tennant, It’s Good to Be a Man: A Handbook for Godly Masculinity (Moscow, ID: Cannon Press, 2021). ------------------------------------ Faithfulness in a Broken Culture - (Part 2) - Ryan King - https://sharperiron.org/article/faithfulness-broken-culture-part-2 Cultural engagement does not mean compromise, it means boldness. Many fundamentalists have looked at the culture and thought that we need to distance ourselves to stay faithful.We need to be more like Elijah at Mt Carmel declaring the superiority of Christ even against stern opposition. We have a huge advantage when we speak the truths of Scripture to the world around us. One of the great problems of our day is that we do not knowthe Scriptures well enough to be bold in them. Some have forsaken Peter�s instruction to always be ready (1Pe 3:15) because we can think that other things are more important. We give the most time to what is most important to us. How many Christians can speakof the latest news but cannot walk you through the doctrine of the Trinity in the Scriptures? Because we can be fickle, temporal creatures we can give our attention to the urgent instead of the critical. It is time for us to prepare well and dig into the Word of Godso that we might engage the culture around us with boldness. Being in the culture does not mean that we succumb to wickedness but that we declare the truths of Scripture and show the love of Christ in the midst of it. The world around us will not be ready to hear the truths of Scripture unless we bring it to them in love. Love does not mean a lack of boldness, but it does mean that we demonstratekindness and compassion as we bring truth to those around us. Steve Viars does a great job of helping us in this regard in his book Loving Your Community.1 Viars encourages us to be creative and bold in our love of the world around us. He talks about bringingyour community into your building, caring for children, starting schools, ministering to men and women in precarious situations, and more. He presents a church that is present and active in the community and because they are involved, the community listens. Jesus set this example for us as He ministered in His context. He spoke truth while healing and feeding those around Him. His love demonstrated that He is the Messiah. Ourlove demonstrates that we come in the name of the Messiah. James encourages us to care for widows and orphans in their time of need and to be holy Gas 1:27). John tells us that if we see fellow believers in need and neglect to meet those needs it is evidentthat we are not believers (1Jn 3:17). Christians are purveyors of truth, but we must also be purveyors of love. We know that the world will not receive what we bring as love because they hate the Truth, but we bring love, nonetheless. First John 3:12-13 tells us that righteousness in the lives of believers will result in persecution. We should not be surprised when difficulty comes. This can never be areason for us not to biblically engage the culture around us. We are not to be unloving, but we are to be bold. Standing for what the Bible says is true may result in hate. Calling to repentance those that practice homosexuality and transgenderism will withouta doubt bring fierce retribution in many situations. The faithful Christian is not concerned with the opinion of the world, but with the judgment of the Father (Mt 10:28). Yes, even if you come along gently, speaking the truth in love, you can expect hatred,and that what you say may likely be taken out of context. You can expect that they will hear things that you never said and receive them in a manner in which you did not convey them. The truth that you speak to those around you will certainly be received asfoolishness (1Co 2:14). The Lord told us this would happen (In 15:18). Why are we often surprised and/or afraid of the pushback? Speak the truth in the context in which the Lord has placed you and do not compromise. Our responsibility is faithfulness, notresults. Fear of persecution is inconsistent with what the Lord has given us which is a spirit of power and love and self-control (2Ti 1:7). In this spiritual battle, we must not think that we have to carry the torch on our own. The Lord is gracious to us and in His good plan to make all things new, He is startingwith us. Believers have the Holy Spirit within, and the Lord is expanding His work on earth through those whose hearts He is changing. When you tire of the culture around you and begin to think that the battle is lost, remember that Christ is still at work.He is always working in the hearts of His people to bring about His good purpose. The battle is won, Christian. We should not walk around as though it is lost. God has told us the end of all things in the book of Revelation, and it isn�t even close. God isnot throwing a hail Mary at the end of the game hoping the right team comes down with it in the end zone. He has won the battle; we get to see Him bring it to pass. Perhaps in a low place, you are tempted to think that God has forgotten you or your city. Bible Center Church in Paonia, CO is on a street where you see half a dozen �pride� flags as you drive down to the church. God has not forgotten Bible Center Church and He has not forgotten you. If you ever doubt, preach the gospel to yourself. God loved you enough that He gave His only Son for you. Of course, He loves you. The battle isnot lost. We are winning. The local church must lead this charge of cultural engagement. Elders should model cultural engagement and lead their churches in fighting against the godless tide of thecurrent age. The battle to be fought is not one for para-church ministries. God promised that the gates of hell would not prevail against the church (Mt 16:18). Nothing else has this promise. Pastors have a responsibility to lead their churches down the path of cultural engagement and be bold enough to declare the truth and engage in the battle. Dispensationalists,armed with the truth of Scripture, should be in the best position to fight back against the culture around us. Churches should work together, start schools, plant churches, begin universities, and disciple our children and the adult believers around us. Wecannot abdicate our responsibility in view of Christ�s return. It should make us all the more diligent in proclaiming the truth of the Word. We have the Lord�s promise that nothing can stop the Church and the best weapon conceivable is the Word of God. Whywould we not press on? When our Lord returns let us be found faithful. Notes 1 Stephen Viars, Loving Your Community: Proven Practices for Community-Based Outreach Ministry (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2020). Photo by Jose G. Ortega Castro.

‘Keeping Watch on The Evil And The Good’

 ‘Keeping Watch on The Evil And The Good’: As Questions Swirl, God’s Sovereignty Stills Our Troubled Minds – By Jonathan Brentner - https://harbingersdaily.com/keeping-watch-on-the-evil-and-the-good-as-questions-swirl-gods-sovereignty-stills-our-troubled-minds/ The sound of rain soothes my soul. This was particularly true this past Sunday morning as I sat in my office rehearsing the events of the previous evening. For several minutes, I enjoyed listeningto the steady rain outside my open window. I had not slept well the previous night as I thought about what I saw and wondered how it was possible for the Secret Service to allow someone on a rooftop so close to where President Trumpwas speaking. My thoughts soon turned to my expectation of Jesus’ imminent appearing. In years past, I have placed far too much hope on political solutions for the woes facing America. Now, after a greatmany disappointments and much, much disillusionment, my optimism for what lies ahead rests solely upon Christ’s soon intervention in our world. Jesus’ imminent appearing is my only lasting solace in these perilous times. The Lord Is Faithful I’m unsure as to why the sound of rain calms me or why I enjoy it so much. Mix in some lightning and thunder and it’s all the more relaxing (assuming there are no tornado warnings or violentstorms nearby). The words of James 5:7-8 came to mind as I thought about why listening to rain often quiets my restless feelings: “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how thefarmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” The rain speaks of God’s faithfulness; it reminds us of His goodness. Isn’t it curious that James uses God’s faithfulness in sending rain at the proper time for farmers as an example of our waiting for the Rapture? Just as they wait for the “late rains,” sowe patiently long for our homegoing amid the perilous times in which we live. The words of 2 Peter 3:1-10 come to mind; people will continue to ridicule our hope, but the day of our homegoing will surely arrive. At just the right time, He will appear and take us tothe place He’s preparing for us (John 14:1-3). The arrival of rain at just the right time testifies to the Lord’s faithfulness. It also reminds us of the need to patiently watch, and wait, for His appearing; He will not disappoint us. God Is Sovereign My suspicion regarding the failure of the Secret Service on July 13 has led to many disquieting questions. I list just a few of them below: How did the shooter know he could climb a ladder with a large rifle with no one stopping him? Why did the police seemingly ignore people pointing out the presence of a gunman on a nearby roof? After discovering the presence of a dire threat twenty minutes earlier, why did the Secret Service allow President Trump to take the stage and begin speaking? Why did law enforcement wait until the killer begin firing shots at Trump before killing him? Why the momentary delay of the agents in rushing to assist him after the bullet struck his ear? As the questions multiply with each passing day, many people wonder if a nefarious motive lies behind the egregious dereliction of duty on the part of many that day to adequately protect PresidentTrump. As I pondered these things, the words of Proverbs 15:3 stilled my troubled and suspicious mind: “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.“ I don’t expect to receive any definitive answers to the concerns listed above. However, I know the Lord saw all that happened and He will deal justly with all those involved in attemptingto kill President Trump. I need not know the details of how He will do it. As I continued listening to the rain, I read how the psalmist linked rainstorms with God’s sovereignty: “For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever theLord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.” (Psalm 135:5-7) Regardless of what the future holds for me or my country, I know the Lord will someday return just as He promised. His sovereignty assures us that He will adequately and justly deal with thewickedness of our day. He will establish His righteous rule over all the nations of the earth. Even in His kingdom, the Lord will control the rain and withhold it from nations that refuse to worship Him (Zechariah 14:16-19). God will not flood the entire earth again as He did in the days of Noah, but His justice will soon rain down on those who reject Him and His Word. The plans of the elite powerbrokers to enslavethe people of the world under a tyrannical regime will succeed for a short while, but the Lord will destroy what’s left of the antichrist’s kingdom at His Second Coming. Until then, the sound of rain will remind me of the words of James 5:7-8 and fill me with assurance that Jesus is surely coming for us and His timing will be perfect. My hope doesn’t restin the results of elections or any other earthly outcome, but solely upon Jesus and the promises He has made to me in His Word. Although the waiting is difficult at times, it will be well worth it. He most assuredly will reward our watchfulness and eager anticipation of His appearing (Philippians 3:20-21). Don’t letthose who now mock and disdain our hope in the Rapture take your eyes off the prize. He is surely coming for us. I pray He appears very soon, but I know that whenever it happens, it will be well worth our patience endurance. He will reward our patient watchfulness.

The Ramifications of Blackstone

 The Ramifications of Blackstone and The WEF Purchasing Our Genetic Information – By David Bowen - https://harbingersdaily.com/the-ramifications-of-blackstone-and-the-wef-purchasing-our-genetic-information/ There has been some recent talk about Blackstone buying Ancestry.com for 4.7 billion dollars. The concern with this news is that Blackstone now has access to millions of people’sDNA. Let’s discuss two issues here. First, this sale is not new; it happened in December 2020. So why is this coming up now? We’ll look at that in just a minute. People may not realize the history of Blackstone Inc. An obvious question to ask is, does it have any connection to the World Economic Forum? If so, what kind of connection?Here’s the real concern behind those two questions. Does this purchase of millions of digital records of people’s DNA have the ability to be connected to the 2030 agenda of the World Economic Forum? The answer is yes; stay with me and let me walk through thishistory and the connection. As I said, this purchase of Ancestry.com happened over three years ago in December of 2020. Shortly after Blackstone’s purchase, a lawsuit was filed in Illinois. The lawsuitclaimed that Blackstone violated Section 30 of Illinois’s 1998 Genetic Information Privacy Act. This act provides that no person or company “may disclose or be compelled to disclose the identity of any person upon whom a genetic test is performed or the resultsof a genetic test in a manner that permits identification of the subject of the test.” Both plaintiffs in this lawsuit had purchased DNA testing products from Ancestry and submitted saliva samples for genetic testing. Because Ancestry had allegedly paired theplaintiffs’ genetic tests with personally identifiable information, such as names, emails, and home addresses, they maintained that Blackstone’s disclosure of their genetic identities violated Section 30 of the Genetic Information Privacy Act. Unfortunately,in May 2023, the court ruled in favor of Blackstone and dismissed the suit. Ancestry.com, founded in 1996, is a leader in the digital subscription business and has continued to grow significantly. To date, Ancestry has more than twenty-two millionpeople in the AncestryDNA network and an extensive collection of over twenty billion records. Blackstone, the entity which purchased Ancestry.com, is involved in real estate, credit, infrastructure, hedge funds, and insurance. As of May 2024, Blackstone manages morethan one trillion dollars in total assets, making it one of the largest investment firms globally. Blackstone and Blackrock Let’s answer the question: Does Blackstone Inc. have any connection to the World Economic Forum? To find out, we have to look at its history. Blackstone and Blackrock are separate entities. However, in 1988, Blackrock originally started under the umbrella of Blackstone. Blackstone, which now owns Ancestry.com, wasco-founded by Peter Peterson and Steven Schwarzman. Originally, the two were colleagues at Lehman Brothers. When they founded their own company, they decided on a name that blended their surnames. Schwarz is German for “black,” and Peterson comes from the Greek for “stone.” On the other hand, Blackrock was founded by Larry Fink, who used to be associated with Blackstone as Schwarzman and Fink worked together for five years, from 1988 to 1994. In 1994, when Fink decided to branchout on his own, he needed a new name for his asset management company, and Steve Schwarzman, the co-founder of Blackstone, suggested having a family name keeping the word “black” in it. Thus, Blackrock is birthed from Blackstone. Today, both firms have a significant role in the financial AUM, or assets under management, industry. Blackstone manages over $368 billion in assets, and Blackrock, the largestasset manager globally, manages over $5.4 trillion. Both companies have a present and firm connection to the World Economic Forum. Blackrock’s connection to the World Economic Forum comes from their CEO, Larry Fink, who sits on its Board of Trustees. At the 2022 annual meeting in Davos, Blackrock signedan agreement to promote gender lens investing. Gender lens means they will focus on investing in companies that specifically have a higher representation of women on their boards and in senior management positions. This agreement ties into the World EconomicForum’s society and equality agenda. The ESG Agenda The year after, in 2023, Fink spoke at the annual meeting in Davos, this time focusing on the World Economic Forum’s ESG agenda. ESG stands for “Environment, Social, and Government,” which is the beginning of a social credit score. When the Central Bank Digital Currency system (CBDC) is implemented, one’s social credit score will eventually dictate how much funds you can access and how you may spend those funds. Your social credit scorewill revolve around how much you follow the guidelines put in place by the powers that be. You will be “scored” on how you live. For example, do you drive a car, or have you decided to forgo an automobile for riding a bike or using public transportation? Do you eat meat, or have you decided to forgomeat and have embraced having a diet of plant-based foods? It will all come down to how well you jump through their hoops. Agenda 2030 Getting back to Blackstone’s purchase of Ancestry.com, does this purchase of millions of digital records of people’s DNA have the ability to be connected to the agenda ofthe World Economic Forum? The answer is yes. Blackstone CEO Steven Schwarzman is a member of the International Business Council of the World Economic Forum and now owns Ancestry.com. As a board member, he is critical in fulfilling the World Economic Forum’sglobal agenda. Through its partnership with the World Bank, the United Nations, and businesses like Blackstone and Blackrock, the World Economic Forum now has access to billions of DNA records.This means it has the means to control the world’s finances, credit scores, housing, food production, healthcare, gender equality, and education—all to fulfill its 17 areas of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Once again, another piece of the puzzle has been put in place as the world heads towards establishing a future one-world Antichrist system. The good news is Jesus also hasa plan, and his plan for the future will not be stopped.

Shame: Government Media Complex

 Shame: Government Media Complex - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com It’s been termed the “Government Media Complex” by some conservative writers. It refers to the mainstream, corporate media that is taking the hard-left position in its coverage of the presidentialrace, a mouthpiece for the Biden Administration, and ongoing purveyor of dog whistle rhetoric spewed by the hateful left. Americans wake up! Just read the headlines of what has happened over the past two weeks. CNN, Washington Post, New York Times, MSNBC,NBC, CBS, ABC and various other left-leaning propaganda machines downplayed the assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump and subsequently refused to report the substance of his Republican nomination acceptance speech. In the moments after the Trump shooting, I went to the aforementioned media sites to get updated information. They actually downplayed the assassination attempt. Collectively, they portrayedthe event as something totally other than what it was. Anybody watching the speech could tell that there were rapid fire shots at the former president. The government media complex reported that there was a “security incident” and Trump had to be escortedoff the stage. It was literally over an hour before these giants of news got around to reporting the truth. They downplayed the assassination attempt as if some sort of technical glitch had taken place. Nothing to see here. Their coverage of Trump’s nomination acceptance speech was much the same. The government media complex talked about everything except the substance of the speech. Politico reported about the92-minute record speech and showed pictures of the convention audience dozing off in boredom. AFP talked about what Melania wore and how Trump has “reshaped” the Republican Party into his own image (isn’t that was presidential nominees do?). The WashingtonPost did a story on what Trump DID NOT have in his speech. Reuters wrote about how critics of Trump worry that his power will go unchecked. AP continued its coverage of the assassination attempt by calling the would-be assassin a “Rally Shooter.” This is the kind of coverage we would expect from Soviet-era Russian media like Tass and Pravda. For nearly a decade the government media complex has had Trump in its sites and has been theattack dog of the left. This is not becoming to a nation where heroic men and women have died to protect freedom of speech and religion. Yet this government media complex attack both regularly, disrespecting the very constitution that guarantees their rightto do it. Maybe it’s time to recognize them for what they are and encourage people to seek the truth, not what they are being spoon-fed by propagandists. In John 8:32, Christ says, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” There isfreedom in truth, but neither freedom nor truth is found in news that is filtered through an extreme agenda.

The Coming Transformation of Israel

 The Coming Transformation of Israel - Paul J. Scharf - https://sharperiron.org/article/coming-transformation-of-israel There will be a great spiritual transformation of Israel before Christ’s final return. Those before us in Dispensational Theology developed the scriptural conviction that the people of Israel will one day be saved as a nation in their Promised Land.  Dispensationalists taught this boldly—as was the case when The Friends of Israel was born in 1938, even before the modern State of Israel existed. But this clear, biblical teaching has fallen on hard times, and many are conflicted. Some reason that modern Israel simply cannot be the people that God promises to bring back to the land because the nation is largely unbelieving. They see its current presence in the MiddleEast as entirely inconsequential. Such thinking misses the mark entirely. Israel’s return to its land is an event unparalleled in all history. The idea that the nation’s restoration is utterly unrelated to the biblical predictionsregarding Israel’s future seems to strain credulity. I agree with prophecy scholar Dr. Thomas Ice’s statement: “Modern Israel is prophetically significant and is fulfilling Bible prophecy.”1 Yet, Israel today remains largely in unbelief! How can this possibly be the result of God’s work? A Two-Phased Return Just like numerous prophetic events, Israel’s return takes place in two distinct phases. Ice explains: … readers of God’s Word need to be careful to distinguish which verses are being fulfilled in our day and which references await future fulfillment. In short there will be two end-time regatherings:One before the tribulation and one after the tribulation.2 Ezekiel 36 and 37 clearly demonstrate this reality. Both chapters speak of both aspects of Israel’s return and restoration. Utilizing a writing style common in the Hebrew Scriptures, chapter36 gives us the broad overview, then chapter 37 retells the story, providing additional details for emphasis. Ezekiel 36:24 promises that God will bring the people of Israel “from among the nations … out of all countries.” The Jewish people’s return from the Babylonian/Medo-Persian captivity thatcommenced under King Cyrus of Persia in 539 BC (Ezra 1:1–4) does not fully encompass this prophecy. Something far greater will happen as the world approaches the end times. In Ezekiel 36:25–38, we see that the people of Israel will be spiritually transformed once they come back “into [their] own land” (v. 24). The land itself also will be physically transformedand will one day “become like the garden of Eden” (v. 35). The key is understanding that this transformation takes place with the people in the land. Astute Bible students know that Israel must be back in the land, constituted as an unbelieving nation,to submit to a covenant with the Antichrist (Daniel 9:27). That covenant will mark the beginning of the Tribulation. Even at the midpoint of the Tribulation, Jerusalem will still be “spiritually … called Sodom and Egypt” (Revelation 11:8). Ezekiel 37—the well-known dry bones passage—reemphasizes this pattern, showing that Israel will be regenerated spiritually only after returning to its land. It is there that the lifeless bonesof the people of Israel will come alive again (vv. 1–21). Then, finally, the whole nation and land will be transformed (vv. 22–28), which will involve the permanent reunification of all 12 tribes (v. 22), a political revival (vv. 24–25), and a spiritual renewalin which the land will house God’s “sanctuary … forevermore” (v. 26). Zephaniah 2:1–2 teaches explicitly that God will “gather” the “undesirable nation,” which will take place “before the LORD’S fierce anger comes upon” them. This is the chastening of the Tribulation,the purpose being to bring Israel to repentance and to receive its king (Zechariah 12:10). Only then can there be a final, spiritual regathering in preparation for His Kingdom (Matthew 24:31). The Great End-Time Revival How will such wonders unfold during the days of the Tribulation? The people of Israel must return to their land as an unbelieving nation. God will confront them and draw them to their Messiahthrough the gospel ministry of the two witnesses (Revelation 11:3) and their 144,000 disciples who will be sealed from “all the tribes of the children of Israel” (7:4). Together, these end-time ministers will help bring the salvation of a countless multitudeof Gentiles (vv. 9–17), as well as “all Israel” (Romans 11:26; cf. Zechariah 13:8–9). God has long been bringing the Jewish people back to their ancient homeland. Many return in unbelief, but God will bring them to faith and spiritual life in the land before their ultimatereturn to receive all the blessings He has promised them in the coming Kingdom. We must proclaim these biblical realities with certainty and conviction. As Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum writes, When the Bible speaks of a worldwide regathering of the Jewish people, it speaks of two distinct events. … First, there is to be a worldwide regathering in unbelief in preparation for judgment—specifically,the judgment of the tribulation. That is to be followed by a second worldwide regathering in faith in preparation for blessing—specifically, the blessing of the Messianic kingdom. … Once it is recognized that the Bible speaks of two such regatherings, it iseasy to see how the present State of Israel fits into prophecy.3 Believers who firmly grasp Israel’s coming transformation will be reinforced in the hope “that He who has begun a good work in [us] will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians1:6). May God help us clearly comprehend His revealed plan for Israel in the future and for us who trust Him today. Notes 1 Thomas D. Ice; “Is Modern Israel Fulfilling Bible Prophecy?”; Liberty University; May 2009; https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1023&con…; Internet; accessed 7July 2024; p. 2. 2 Ibid. 3 Arnold Fruchtenbaum, The Footsteps of the Messiah: A Study of the Sequence of Prophetic Events, 6th ed. (San Antonio, TX: Ariel Ministries, 2023), p. 104.

The Devil Is Driving the Global Antisemitism

 The Devil Is Driving the Global Antisemitism… Why Would Any Christian Side with Him? - By Amir Tsarfati - https://harbingersdaily.com/the-devil-is-driving-the-global-antisemitism-why-would-any-christian-side-with-him/ There is a growing mindset today that as long as you believe in Jesus and that He was raised from the dead, the rest of what you believe is of no consequence. You can believesome of the Bible or none of the Bible, or even things outside of the Bible, and still have the expectation of arriving in heaven. The problems with this thinking are many, and not the least of which is this: Psalms 138:2 KJV – “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.” The word of God – penned by 40 different authors in three different languages on three different continents over 1,500 years – is magnified above all of His name. What doesthis mean? Simply put, we could understand it by noting that when a person has a reputation for lying and you hear their name, it is their character that comes to mind. If someone is a gossip, the same is true. This is also true of a thief. The point is thata person’s character creates an association with their name. The nature and character of God is recorded in His word. His name is established by what is written in His word. Psalms 119:160 KJV – “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.” Remember, among His characteristics, Jesus said He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). And in John 1:1, He is revealed as “the word” who is God. If you say you have a relationship with the Lord, you cannot distance yourself from His word. He is the word and the entirety of His word is truth, including this: Romans 11:25-27 KJV – “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happenedto Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away theirsins.” Zion is often used in reference to the whole of Jerusalem where the Lord said His name, eyes, and heart will be perpetually (2 Chronicles 7:6). It can also refer to the hillupon which Jerusalem was built and where the temples stood. The mention of Jacob is a clear reference to the the children of Israel through whom the Deliverer would come. Romans also says that someday, all Israel will be saved. Since that hasn’t happened, it must be in the future. And if it is yet future, then how can someone say that modern Israel is not the Israel of the Bible? The only way toarrive at that kind of conclusion is to think, “I am a believer in Christ who doesn’t believe all the Bible is true.” How can that even be possible since Jesus is the word and the word establishes the credibility of His name, which is the only name that cansave? Antisemitism is sin. It doesn’t matter what your opinion may be on the war in Gaza. It does not matter what anyone thinks about who was there first simply because the wordsays this: Ezekiel 39:27-29 KJV – “When I have brought them again from the people, and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations;Then shall they know that I am the Lord their God, which caused them to be led into captivity among the heathen: but I have gathered them unto their own land, and have left none of them any more there. Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for Ihave poured out my spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the Lord God.” Amos 9:15 KJV – “And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the Lord thy God.” It is the devil who is driving the global antisemitism of the day and no Christian, under any circumstances, should ever side with Him. Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Darkness And Must Always Be Rejected

 Witchcraft Is Consorting with The Powers of Darkness And Must Always Be Rejected- By Dean Dwyer - https://harbingersdaily.com/witchcraft-is-consorting-with-the-powers-of-darkness-and-must-always-be-rejected-by-christians/ Recently, I came across an article written by a “Christian Witch” who gets offended by Christians who warn her that witchcraft is a demonic practice that will condemn itsunsaved practitioners to the Lake of Fire. The witch goes on to state that: “Before you speak to or harass or comment on any spiritual practices or beliefs or ideas held by Christian Witches, please adhere to the following:” For the sake of space, I’ll summarizeher points into the appropriate headings she used, which are: do your research, think and be an adult. With that said, let’s examine a key claim she made and compare it to Scripture. For good measure, I will also adhere to her “rules” in my response. Firstly, let’s affirm from the Word of God that witchcraft is a practice that God opposes and therefore wants His people to oppose. In Deuteronomy 18:9-12, the Israelitesare given a very clear command: “When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through thefire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and becauseof these abominations of the LORD your God drives them out from before you.” As we have seen highlighted throughout the Biblical record, fallen human flesh gravitates toward curiosity concerning the supernatural. However, in the case of the Deuteronomypassage (and others which follow) it is a curiosity which God forbids. Why? Verses 13 and 14 of Deuteronomy make it clear: “You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; butas for you, the LORD your God has not appointed such for you.” In short, the use of magic and divination was seen as a refusal to acknowledge the sovereignty of God. Furthermore, reliance on these practices indicated a corresponding failureto trust the Lord with one’s life, instead turning to the demonic realm to seek spiritual guidance. It is not surprising that these forbidden practices continue today. During the Tribulation Period, the book of Revelation reveals that occult practices will be widespread.In fact, those who engage in such practices are among the ones destined for the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21:8; 22:14-15). This brings me to my point. The article from the “Christian Witch” I mentioned in the opening comments says this: “News alert: most Witches have no concept of a devil. Beliefs in a devil and hell are constructs of Abrahamic religions and do not find a place in the Witch’s personal vernacularor spiritual path. The devil is a construct, a character who was created to depict our human tendencies to be evil, ugly, obscene and/or vulgar. The devil represents the hideous aspects of ourselves. The Devil card in the Tarot deck represents abject slaveryto sensorial perceptions and being completely controlled by the same, rather than being led by higher powers, such as the God(s) and/or Goddess(es). The inverted pentagram on the Devil’s forehead reveals the occult wisdom that the whole of consciousness ispointed downward, to the 5 senses, creating hell on earth (a hell that can be exited at any time, by choice). Contrast this with the upward pointing Witch’s pentacle, indicating alignment with the 4 elements of earth, air, fire and water, and the 5 force of Spirit or aether/space:Witches are not in league with the devil, don’t believe in the existence of a devil, nor worship a devil. These are all lies manufactured to perpetuate mass hatred and killing of Witches (and many whom were not Witches, yet whose lives were ended because ofmass hysteria and terror sweeping through the general populace). Witches also do not subscribe to hell, as it too is an invention. Humans made up the concept of hell, not God. The Hebrew Bible has nothing in it to denote anything other than the grave as a resting place when we die. The term for this state in the Hebrew Bible is Sheol, and simplymeans a grave, or going down to the earth. All went there, good and evil. No torture. No hellfire. No damnation. Just an ended life. The Greek word often mistranslated to hell is Hades, again, simply a place where all the dead went. As a Christian, if you espouse hell, and tell Witches they’re going to hell, you may benefit from learning the truth: This is simply a starting point for study on the originsof hell to understand that it did not come from the Bible or from God. For me, hell does not exist other than a state of consciousness people put themselves in due to corrupt thinking patterns. Of course, everyone is free to believe whateverthey like, whether it be true or not. Thank you for your attention to these important matters of faith.” There is a lot to unpack with that statement and space does not permit me to do so here. However, I will say that the Bible speaks very clearly about everlasting punishmentand the reality of the adversary we know as Satan. For a so-called Christian to claim otherwise is akin to calling Jesus a liar. This “Christian Witch” has fallen prey to the very one she denies exists (Satan) and if she does not hold a saving faith in Jesusshe will also spend eternity in the place that she denies exists (the Lake of Fire). Practicing witchcraft is consorting with the powers of darkness and is always to be rejected by Christians. In fact, for those involved, rather than denying the truth of God’sWord, it would be better to follow the practice of those described in Acts 19:19-20: “Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fiftythousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.“

The Process of Love (Part One)

 The Process of Love (Part One) Sometime back, a little blurb from an email newsletter caught my attention. It was just a small section of the overall email, but it illustrates a predominant sentiment of our time. The blurb was about the 400th anniversary of thepublication of the King James Bible and some of the religious and political controversies involving it and other Bible versions. But after writing about the religious confusion of the past, the author wrote this: If there's a god, I don't think he/she/it would care what [holy] book or which version (or any book) you read, or what name you addressed him/her/it with, or how many times in a day you bowed, or what direction you faced, or how many rituals you observed, or which animalwas clean and which wasn't, or what day of the week you did what, or how many people you "saved". Any entity worthy of being called a god would be above it all, and would probably care more about how kind you were to others, and whether you left the world just a little bit better. (Author's emphasis.) In other words, once God and His righteous requirements are out of the picture, what is left is the vague and airy ideal to "just be a good person." Modern-day Protestantism fares better regarding principles to live by because it at least acknowledges the Bible and believes some of it. Yet Protestantism has its own form of "just be a good person." Try bringing God's law into the conversation,and many Protestants will retreat behind Romans 13:10, which says, "Lovedoes no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." From this proof-text, Protestantism hastily concludes that as long as a person has love, he has fulfilled the law, so there is no need to worry about any specifics, just as in the blurb. Indeed, love stands at the very core of true Christianity. The apostle Paul says in I Corinthians 13:13 that faith, hope, and love are the three great virtues that "abide" or continue, and "the greatest of these is love." But this greatest of virtues is also easily misunderstood because the source and origin of godly love is God. Thus, an individual's understandingof God's love wholly depends on his understanding of God. Because God is—and has been—a mystery to nearly every human being throughout history, His love is likewise shrouded in mystery. Those to whom God has revealed Himself and given His Spirit are the only ones who can make this love part of theircharacter. In addition, godly love is not something we "work up" within ourselves; instead, it is a fruit that is produced. Further, it must grow in the right conditions and takes time to ripen. We cannot begin with the technical meaning of the Greek word agape because the secular definition is quite different from its biblical usage. In general terms, however, this divine love can be described as "doing what is best for another person." Some have summed it up as "outgoing concern for one's fellow man."It is, in short, relating to God and His creation in the same way that the Father and the Son relate to each other and to the creation. There are some litmus tests we can use to evaluate whether something is an act of godly love. An obvious one is whether the act is in accordance with the law of God (IJohn 5:3). Godly love will always be done within the bounds of His law. A second test for determining whether what we say or do truly demonstrates godly love is the intent or motivation behind the word or deed. Two people can say the same thing or perform the same work, and it can be godly love for the one but notfor the other. The determining factor is why the words are said or the work is done. Paul gives examples of this in the opening verses of I Corinthians 13. In verse 1, Paul uses the example of the ability to speak in other languages. Where believers of different nationalities fellowship, that spiritual gift can be used to edifythe Body of Christ, which would be an act of love. Yet, if a possessor of that spiritual gift exercises it for selfish reasons, as it appears some did in Corinth, God is not glorified. In His ears, the sound jangles in discord because the speaker's self-centerednesswould detract from what satisfaction God might have received had the speaker spoken the truth. In I Corinthians 13:2, Paul mentions inspired speaking, perfect spiritual understanding and knowledge, and the dramatic exercising of faith. Like the gift of speaking other languages, these are also gifts of God. Christians can use them to honor and glorifyGod and to strengthen the Body, or they can use them to draw attention to themselves, which is self-love rather than godly love. Paul writes that if he used these gifts but was not motivated by love, he would be nothing. He would be utterly devoid of substance. In verse 3, he uses examples that everybody would agree are great acts of service and sacrifice: donating every earthly possession to feed the poor and physically sacrificing his body. Yet even these rare and tremendous works can be done forthe wrong reasons, in which case, Paul says, the person derives no benefit at all. In these three verses, the apostle uses examples of works that most people would consider indicators of great spirituality. However, he says, all of them are essentially meaningless unless the intent of the doer's heart is one of outgoing concernand focused on emulating the Father and the Son. All these gifts and acts could be used to serve the Body and glorify God if godly love is motivating the person. Conversely, they could be done with pride, vanity, and self-aggrandizement. A person could do them for the sake of appearances or because of a need for attention or approval. Such works can be used to serve othersor serve the self, depending on the heart's intent. It is here we begin to see the difficulty involved in the process of godly love. The intent of our heart must be correct for a thing to actually be godly love, yet Jeremiah 17:9 reminds us that our heart is "deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked." Then God asks rhetorically, "Who can understand it?" It implies that none of us can—only God truly knows, as the next verse shows. Thus, it is possible to be doing good works and believe we are doing them for the right reason yet be deceiving ourselves. We might become righteously indignant and chew somebody out for something, reasoning within ourselves that we did it forhis or her good. That could be true. But it is also true that we tend to hide our true motivations from ourselves. In Part Two, we will consider how we can get an honest answer from our own heart about our motivations. - David C. Grabbe