Merry Christmas

Over two thousand years ago in the lonely town of Bethlehem, a child was born.  He grew to be a man.  It was documented that over his life, he fulfilled over three hundred prophecies.  He died, was buried and rose again on the third day.  He was seen by over five hundred witnesses and then ascended into heaven.  On this Christmas eve, we would want to wish each and every reader of this blog a Merry Christmas.  And remind you that while on his first trip he fulfilled prophecy to the letter at the exact right time in the exact right way.  He is coming again and will fulfill prophecy again.  Not any prophecy written by Mayan Indians, or Buddhist or Muslims.   But scripture, completed over nineteen hundred years ago.  This same Jesus who ascended into heaven will return in like fashion.  May he always and forever remain the reason for the season.  May he fill your heart with his presence.  And may the new year bring you all the joy the Spirit can bring.

Offending the Little Ones

Yesterday there was a shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.  Twenty-eight are dead.  Twenty are children.  I was looking up the verse today about harming the little ones and I found it rather fascinating.    The verse in Matthew 18:6 says.  "If any one should offend one of the little ones, it is better that a millstone be thrown around his neck and he be cast into the sea."   The word offend in the Greek is the word that we get scandalize from.  The idea is to entrap, trip up or entice to sin, apostasy or displeasure.  The Middle English word for offend means, make to.  So who is more at fault in this crime?  Is it the person pulling the trigger or is it the education system that has scandalized our little ones?

When doing a word search for millstone, I looked at the four usages in the New Testament.  There is three in the gospels all having to do with this conversation that Jesus was having about the children with his disciples.  Matthew 18:6, Mark 9:42, Luke 17:2.

The next usage is in Revelation 18:21-22.  It refers to Babylon.  "And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea saying, Thus with violence shall the great city Babylon be thrown down and shall be no more at all.  And the voice of the harpers, and musicians, and of pipers and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;"

Is this an indictment against Babylon?  Has Babylon scandalized the little ones?  I ask you.  If America is Babylon then we are in trouble?  If Rome is Babylon, then they are in trouble?  Be careful how you are teaching the little ones.  Proverbs 22:6 says "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it". 

Connecticut. school shooting

As of this time, I have news that 26 are dead 18 are students in an elementary school in Connecticut.   Of course we are going to give our condolences to the families of these children and teachers.

The Bible says in 1 Timothy that the last days  will be perilous times.  It doesn't matter what you do it will be dangerous.  I have reffed basketball in Columbine.  I know what peril is.  Will it get worse.  It has been trending that way.  Is there something behind hind it?   We can always ask.

First of all they say that the shooter is a father and is among the dead.  How convenient.  Nothing like a dead suspect to suspend the investigation.  It was used with Kennedy. was declared a lone gunman and Ruby killed him in broad daylight.  There is no way of having a trial if the the person who is declared to be the perpetrator is dead.   So at least with Kennedy, there has been private investigations.

Why children?  First it gets every ones attention.  Second, it gets the emotions involved.  It worked with Oklahoma City.   Third Satan has always wanted a virgin sacrificed.   The more innocent the better.  Look at the fires of Molach.  Where children were burned to death on purpose. 

The call is going to be to ban guns.  Don't fall for it.  The ban should be for mind control medicines and black ops programs in the government.   We put kids on prozack and then they play violent video games.  At some level they snap and then go shooting.  There are black ops programs in the government to promote mind control activities.  Usually you find that more than one shooter was involved and they kill one so that the investigation is off.  Other situations such as the Fort Bliss shooting was a Muslim extremist, but I don't think that this is it. 

Bob Costas last week called for a gun ban.  We don't need that.  That is going to start a civil war.  This country needs a lot of prayer.  But Satan is doing his best right now to create fear.  We have Dec 21 coming up and this can make it worse.  People are already suicidal over that.  So let's get our heads together and keep things straight.  Israel has M16 in lockers in all classrooms.  No school shootings.   

Stay tuned,   There will be more to come. 

Alex Jones says Rapture a hoax?

Listening to Alex Jones this morning he is accusing 501c3 companies that teach the rapture are the problem.  So I need to address several issues here.

First most 501c3 corporations known as churches do not teach the rapture.  They are mostly amilliniel or don't teach any eschatology.  The true churches that have not become a 501c3 corporation. teach a rapture. What is a 501c3 corporation?  It is a not for profit organization for purposes of making charitable contributions.  Churches do not have to become one.  Red Cross, and other non church affiliated organizations do.

The accusation is that if your church is a 501c3, then they have to take orders from the government to keep their tax exempt status.  This is why churches are not allowed to endorse candidates for elections.  I don't advise endorsing candidates anyway because they are all corrupt at some level.  Ask Richard Nixon.

So what is going on with the Rapture theology?    The rapture in many circles is taught wrong.  I know I have heard it many times.  "Before it gets really bad we are out of here".  Jesus said in John 16:33, " that in this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."  So we need to be prepared for tribulation.  Americans in this Laodecian society are very soft.  We can't handle it it if someone puts a gun to our head and says deny Jesus or die. 

The correct teaching is that we are to be engaged until he comes.  When I was running track, I was told to keep going until you hit the finish tape.  Many a race was lost in the last couple of yards when the one head relaxed.  Keep going.  Keep sharing the gospel.  Keep writing your congressman.  Keep attending your county party conventions.  Stay engaged and stay informed.  This is not a time to quit.  2 Thessalonians 2:7  tells us that he that letteth with let until he be taken out of the way.  Until it is gone, we are to be a force of good in this world.

As I wrote in a previous article, we are to play until we here the whistle.  Play until you hear the last trump.  Don't let Alex Jones or anyone else influence your theology.  Alex also believes that man is tens of thousands of years old and has evolved.  The Bible clearly puts man at six thousand years.  Get your theology from the Bible.  Keep going. 

It's not the economy stupid.

When Clinton was elected in 1992 the statement was made that it was all about the economy.  Bush had raised taxes and voters did not like it so they elected Clinton and he raised taxes more.  When Clinton did that the Democrats lost the congress but he was re elected in 1996.  Now lets skip ahead to 2012.  In 2008 we elected a man that America barely knew for President.  In 2012 we know him a little bit better.  We know there is a question mark on his country of origin.  We know there is a question mark on his associations growing up.  There are question marks on what he did in College.  There is no question mark on how he stands on foreign policy.  There is no question mark as to what he wants to do with the economy.  He has taken over companies.  He has given incentives to political friends while punishing supporters of his opponents.  We know that he has appointed provable criminals to cabinet positions such as Attorney General and Secretary of State.

When Carter lost the election in a landslide against Ronald Reagan the economy was sinking.  We had interest rates in the 20+% level,  Inflation was double digit, and unemployment was on the rise.  Under Reagan we somehow got inflation to hold at 4%  and interest rates have been on the fall ever since to where it is now almost non existent.  What people don't understand is that the FED has total control over interest rates and the presidential policies have nothing to do with it. 

Over the last half century, the education system in America and I am not talking about the public schools but all schools have taught that you need a good education, to get a good job.  What is a good job?  What people don't understand in America is how economies operates.  They think that you need good skills to get good jobs but don't understand where wealth comes from.  So let me explain.

All wealth comes from God.  Where does God put his wealth so we can get it?  He puts it in the ground.  So how do we get it out?  We get it out by farming, hunting, ranching, forestry, fishing, drilling and mining.  All industries and all wealth creation come from this.  We are being told we have left the Agricultural age and have left the industrial age and have entered the information age.  I am sorry, we don't eat information.  We eat food.  Food comes from farming and Ranching hunting and Fishing.  To be able to hunt and fish we need tools tools happen when items trees are cut down and minerals are mined.  Then they are refined in a factory and sold back to the farmer, hunter, or fisherman.    Miners also need equipment that is refined.  So we have used factories to build tools for that.  As we have evolved to be further from the core economies the less we think of those economies. 

It is now to the point where the major economies in America right now is medicine, education, government, banking and entertainment. None of these economies create wealth.  Now you understand why the economy is failing.  Agriculture in all forms is under attack from the company of Monsanto.  Fishing is under attack from pollution entering the waters of this world as world.  Forestry is under attack from green people protecting trees.  Mining and drilling is under attack as our president has done everything he can to shut down those industries. Our industries are under attack by sending them overseas.  When you study the American Revolution you find that George Washington would create resources on his plantation in Virginia.  Then he would send them back to England and sell them to factories to be refined.  He would place orders for products and was told to bring back the extra money.  Washington almost always got an IOU on these journeys.  He got tired of it and led an Army against England for the right to create factories in America and control the price for which he sells his product. 

So what is it stupid?  It is sin.  We voted for sin in America.  In fact we used sin to vote for sin.  In all states where the law was followed in the election, Romney won.  In states with Election fraud going on, Obama won.  Not to say that Romney didn't use fraud.  I think he got nominated with election fraud.  But Obama promotes Same sex marriage.  Obama promotes criminals in the government.  He promotes abortion, and he has gone beyond to say you can kill up to age two and with Obama care, euthanasia has been endorsed.  If you aren't a producer, then you will be killed.  he has paid high dollars to government workers and made it a post of bribery. 

What he is going to do in the next 4 years is any ones guess. Speculation is that he is going to persecute his enemies.  He is going to stifle decent.  He is going to crush the once great US economy.  It isn't the economy stupid.  It is about having an Obama phone.  It is about no work for food.  It is about bullying enemies into submission.  It is about you not having a choice in religion. 

But before I have you too fearful, remember, God did not give us a spirit of fear.  But of power and love and of a sound mind.  God has promised to care for his own through tribulation.  The rest of the world has prayed for the American church to face tribulation.  We are lukewarm.    This will separate the men from the boys when it comes to your faith in Jesus Christ.  I will say, finally.  Look up for your redemption draweth neigh.  Sin must play out its course in America so God can fully judge it. 

Four more years?

The election last night was called for Obama quite early dispite that fact that Ohio, Florida, Virginia were all close races.  Interesting looking at states on a map that the Rural areas all went for Romney and the cities went for Obama.  How much of it was legal and how much of it was illegal is hard to say.  I know that both of the candidates are known for election fraud.  So neither of them really deserved to be there. 

The problem is going to be what is going to happen in the next four years.  If past record is indicative of future returns we know that House went to the republicans so they will continue to pass laws.  The Senate went for the Democrates and they will continue to table those laws so that nothing gets to the president.  The president will solve the crises by passing executive orders.  The House will hold hearings and scream at the cabinet members for disobeying the law and then not doing anything else about it.  What needs to happen is to get special prosecutors going again to bring charges against criminals in the Obama administration.  That probably will not happen.  At some point the TEA Party people will get upset again.  They will get cooped by certain moderates posing as conservatives and again nothing will happen.

Do you see where this is going.  Prophecy Club had a guest back in the 80s that is starting to make sense.  His name was Dmitri Duterman.  He said that an internal revolution will be started by the communist (Barack Obama) and then out of the seas Russia and a few other countries will attack and destroy America.  This I can see happening.  It is the rest of his prophecies that I call into question.   Even his list of countries is not correct.  He said there will be Latin American countries involved.  We know from the Ezekiel 38 passage that It is Iran, Libya, Turkey, Germany and Sudan that are the allies in this fight.

The Bible is strangely silent in this matter but I can now see under the "leadership" of Barack Obama that the country is ready to go downhill.  Be prepared for some tough times ahead.  The earthquakes will continue.  The Storms will still rage.  The persecution will intensify.  The Lord is coming back soon.  America will fall.  I pray that I am wrong but my gut and my Bible say differently. 

We cannot continue promoting Same sex marriage and have the blessing of God.  We cannot continue aborting babies and still please God.  We cannot continue to appease those who oppose Israel and still please God.  We cannot say we are one nation under God and then tell the chaplains to not pray in Jesus name.  We cannot force non profit organizations to pay for abortions and contraception against the statement of faith of that organization and please God. 

I dare say with as close as the vote was that there are still some righteous people in America.  But when God has turned us over then we have problems.  I will ask Congress to begin impeachment proceedings against Obama.  There is more evidence against him then there was Nixon.  But after that it is important that every man be right with God.  It is going to be tough.  I would rather be persecuted by my government then fall to judgment of God.  Stand tall and God bless. 

Thomas Ice and non accreditated degrees.

Down below on one of my post the comment was made that Dr. Thomas Ice has an illegal doctorate from a small school in Texas.   Dr. Tommy Ice has a Doctorate from Tyndale Theological Seminary (http://tyndale.edu/) in Hurst Texas.  This happens to be a seminary that I have had some relations with.  I know Dr. Christopher Cone's Father.  Dr. Cone is the President of the school since 2006.  Yes this is a small seminary.  It is not as large as Dallas, Grace, Fuller, Southwest or other well known seminary.  The issue isn't about whether he earned it.  Which he did.  The issue as to whether the school can give a degree.  When it comes to religious education, who sets the standard for accreditation?  It cannot be the state.  We have a first amendment in America.  The Supreme court of Texas ruled as such and returned the fine that the school paid. 

The issue as to whether Thomas Ice's doctorate is recognized.  As a professor at Liberty University, he is recognized as having a Ph.D. by the school. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Ice  
http://www.liberty.edu/academics/religion/index.cfm?PID=12360 

I remember a debate a few years back over the degree that Dr. Kent Hovind earned from Patriot University(http://www.patriotuniversity.com/) in Colorado.  This is another school that I have a relationship with.   Same situation.  The degree was earned.  The question is to whether the degree is recognized.  With no accreditation board, then the controversy is on.  There seems to be a degree of attack on the degree when the attacks on the work fall short.

Should Christians quit earning degrees from such small schools.  I don't think so.  The accreditation process often causes schools to compromise on principals.  It is the same thing about home schooling.  When a student finishes a course of study in a home school situation, did he/she earn the credit and the degree.  As long as the person did the work, he should be recognized as having the degree until it is proven that the school isn't giving a complete course. 

When you see the catalog of the schools and see the work that must be completed to get a degree sometimes you find that it is harder to get your degree this method then by going to an accredited school.  At an accredited school, the minimum standards are sometimes the only thing required.  When you attend and unaccredited school, they realize that you must perform better then the accredited school or you will not be recognized by anyone.  So as a result, their dissertation review can be more strict.  Their standards for passing classes can be tougher.   They cannot rely on their accreditation that keeps them in business.  They have to put out a superior product. 

If we are not allowed to study at an unaccredited school, then we are not allowed to do independent research. This blog encourages such.  The Bible says that you are to "Workout your own salvation with fear and trembling." Phil 2:12.  It is ultimately your responsibility to determine the truth.  Don't let someone say that you or someone else is a liar without first figuring out the source of it   Much of it is disinformation to try to confuse you.  The confusion is not of God.  It is of Satan.  So know your source and do your own research.  2 Tim 2:15.  "Study to shew yourself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. "

The Catholic Vote.

Interesting that the Catholics are going to wield their power in this election.  They have been working for years to play both sides against the middle.  Obama's top advisers during the first campaign were Jesuits.  Both VP candidates are Catholic.  What has happened different to make the Catholic Church come out against Obama.  The three items there are definitely issues.  But let just say.  Keystone Pipeline.  Destabilization of the Middle East.  Obama's attitude of putting the church under the state instead of the other way around.  The Dark ages were defined as a period where the Church crowned kings.  The Vatican must have the supreme position.  They liked Bush because he did "Bow the neck" to the Pope.  While Obama did it physically, he never did it in his policies.  He has to go.  Ever since the The Irish and Italian immigration of the late 1800's, the Church has been biding their time for such a moment as this.  As Romney wins with a strong Catholic vote, it will force Romney to "bow the neck" to the Vatican.  He will do what the church ask. 
 

Why is this important to prophecy? When you read "A woman rides the Beast" by Dave Hunt.  You realize that Revelation 17-18 as well as passages in Jeremiah, Isaiah and Ezekiel dealing with Babylon have a duel meaning for the city of Rome and the worst elements of the Catholic religion.  We can make the debate all day long as to who Babylon is but there is no doubt that the city with Seven hills mentioned in Revelation 17 is Rome.

So what is their beef in world Politics?  They want to rule over the kings of the earth.  Hitler was controlled by the Pope.  Napoleon was controlled by the Pope.  The future Anti-Christ will be controlled by the Pope.  It was only the Protestant British and Americans that brought down those   governments.  The Vatican has been working for years to try to bring down those two governments so that they will fall in line with the plans of the Vatican.  Both the Bushes and Reagan made many trips to Rome.  They gave Pope John Paul II  the credit for bringing down communism.  This was all a ruse to get other countries to pay homage to the Pope.  Vatican II Compromised a few catholic doctrines so that they could convince the world that they need to come together. Catholics will not compromise further.  Any  compromise in doctrine will be done by those who compromise with the church.  

This will be an interesting election.  Both VP candidates are Catholic.   The current and the previous speakers of the house are Catholic.  The current chaplain of the house is a Catholic.    Georgetown University, the closest school to the White House is run by Jesuit priest.  Your two most favorite talk show host on Fox, Sean Hannity and Bill O'rielly are Catholic.  Are you feeling surrounded yet?  You at least need to be concerned.  Abraham Lincoln defended a Catholic priest in a lawsuit against the church in 1856.  He paid for that with this life.  The country paid for it with a civil war.  "50 years in the church of Rome" by Charles Chiniquy.  

In the game of who is really behind the NWO?  Watch the church. 

Faction

In two of my recent post, I have done book reviews on books that would be considered faction.  They are fictional books used to tell a truth or a real story.  There are those out there that just do not like the genre.  They say that you should never get your doctrine from one of those stories. I have a hard time with that assertion.  Jesus used Parables to illustrate truth.  Preachers will tell you that you cannot preach a sermon without telling a story.  In fact some of them hire an assistant pastor with the task of finding illustrations for their sermons.  Not exactly good use of a personnel but that is not the problem I am dealing with today.

The point is that Fiction can be a wonderful way to illustrate the true story.  So here in is the problem. In reading these stories distinguishing the fact from the fiction.  When you read these stories, sometimes you have great story lines and sometimes not so great.  The Harbinger had a horrible story line but his facts were spot on.  Dan Browns "The De Vinci Code" on the other hand had a great story line and the facts were horrible.  Actually the facts of the De Vinci code set up the Anti Christ but I diverge.  

The point that I am trying to make is that there are people out there that will never set foot in the non fiction side of a library but will go to the fiction side to find a good read.     For those people we need to be doing a better job is our fictionalized accounts of prophecy.  The books by Tim LeHaye were good but to make a good story he ignored certain prophetic truths.    Joel Rosenberg, in his series of pre rapture events did a great job.  I though both the facts and the story went well together.

When you write in the genre, you have to have both aspects spot on.  Great fiction and great facts to go with it.  Great fiction includes, developing the characters and  having great conflict.  Sometimes you may have to take the story places that a Christian author generally should not take a story.  I am talking about violence primarily but could include language and sex.  The conflict will keep the reader interested and lead to a climax.  Again, the Joel Rosenberg series does a great job in this category.  Tim LeHaye does well here too.

When you have that right you have to go back and say, does this line up with scripture?  When you realize that fiction just brings out what you think that the scripture is saying then you have to make sure it doesn't violate any of the principals.  Tim Lahaye for instance violates the principal of 2 Thes 2:11-12, that those who have had a chance will be deceived by the strong delusion.  So the developing of the main character in his series was all wrong. 

All in all, I think we need good Faction.  There is a good market for it.  Make the stories good, and  let's keep the facts correct when we write it.

Thoughts from reading The Shack

Purchase Here

I found the shack to be an interesting and challenging read.  It is especially challenging when you hear the authors comments at the end of the audio version of the book.  So with that I need to get into what I found they did right and what they did not.

What they got right.

Christianity is not a religion; it is a relationship.  We need to walk with Jesus on a day by day bases not a go to church on Sunday or study about him in theology training and hope that someone gets it right.  Jesus wants to walk with and talk to us and minister to us through the Holy Spirit.  There is not a pastor or priest that can substitute for Him.

God is love.  Now I will have more to say about that in the other half of this paper, but what I have have said here is true.  We need to get back to loving God not just talking about him.

God wants to heal relationships.  There is a lot  to talk about here but the healing of relationship was the major theme of the book for those who wanted something else to come from the book.  So if that was all that would come from a book where someone meets God it would be sufficient. 

Healing of the relationships is through forgiveness.  What he has to say about forgiveness is very true.  I am not sure about Biblically accurate but it is true in the way it is presented.

Judgment is not for us to do, at least not at this time.  There is a major scene where the hero of the story is asked to judge various people and then is condemned for doing so.  While the Bible does say to judge not lest ye be judged., final judgment is not for us at this time.  The book should have went on to say that we will judge at the final judgment but for now it is not the time.  We are to be looking to bring this person into relationship with God not trying to throw the book at him. 

How they represented Jesus.  You can't go wrong when the only explanation of how Jesus looks is in the Bible.  They got that one right.  I'll say more about the other two later.  

What they got wrong.

First of all, I don’t think you will ever get to meet the Father or the Holy Spirit even in eternity.  No matter how you would have represented them, it would have been wrong.  Jesus said in John 14, that if you have seen me, you have seen the Father.  I and the Father are one.  All we need to know about God the Father and the Holy Spirit can be summed up in the person of Jesus.  As far as the spirit goes, I like the name that was given but the way that he was represented leaves much to be desired.  The spirit does dwell within you so therefore the spirit will testify when things are right and wrong.  I think his explanation on why the Father(Papa) must appear as a black woman is adequate, the whole notion does not fit with scripture.  I would have him as an Older Samoan man myself.  Why Samoan?  Take a genetics class and you will see that they are closer to the average skin tone and hair structure of the genetic code.  Not white, not black not kinky hair not straight.  Right in the middle. 

The opening story about the great spirit and how one person sacrificed themselves to the spirit so the rest could live.  Wow, what a story but it was later said that the Great Spirit and God were the same.  No they are not.  God does not wish that we should ever equate him to any other gods.  The only human sacrifice he ever demanded he stopped by providing a lamb to sacrifice instead.  It is only the gods of paganism that require a human sacrifice.

The overemphasis on love to the lessoning of Judgment.  While it is true that God is love, he is also a God of Justice and Judgment.  It is only through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross that we can have forgiveness of sins and divert the wrath of God.  It is God’s grace that diverts judgment.  Man who continues to defy God will in the end face the judgment of God.  The only mention of hell is when the main character wishes his daughter’s murderer to go there.  God said he wanted to reconcile him.  While that is true, the fact that hell remains there for that person that does not repent is still true.

There is a reemphasis on the election and predestination doctrine even though at one point Jesus said he would travel any road to find disciples.   That statement has made several commentators think that have written negatively on the book comment that this made the god of the Shack a Universalist, I don’t think so.  I think that is accurate in the fact that he will travel any road to find those whom he has called.  What is not emphasized in that statement which needs to be is that he has to call them out of the religious system that they are in. 

De-emphasis on prophecy.  Apparently the author had been reading Rick Warren because not once is anything prophetic mentioned.   When he had Paul in the wilderness, prophecy was taught to him.   When Jesus was here the first time he spent a lot of time discussing the future with his disciples.  He wanted them to know what to expect next.  While he didn’t give details he did give enough that they were able to discern the times they were living.  Speaking of which.  Matthew 24 says that if someone says that Jesus is somewhere, don’t go there.  He is not.  I know it wouldn’t make for good fiction if he had refused to go find out if God was really at the shack.  The fact that nothing was said about, You won’t have long now.  I will be returning soon to set up the Kingdom was not ever once said.  With the nearness of the second coming, I would hope that there is a building of enthusiasm for it on the part of Jesus.   There is a discussion about the Bride of Christ but does not mention the wedding.  That was very disappointing.

What about that ending?  His transformation was good but the explanation of what had happened to him that weekend had the feeling of the TV series “Lost”.  It is all  the more reason to leave the story as a work of fiction.  Leave the Gospel to the scriptures and enjoy the story for what it is.  Fiction. 

Is War Immenent?

With the Olympic games coming up in two weeks, it looks like the world is ready to go to war.  Syria was reported to massacre 100 civilians this week.  The U.S. State department has that Bashar Assad needs to step down.  Russia has stepped in and is said that if the U.S. Intervenes in Syria, the they will jump in to back up the Syrian Government.

The Syrians have been reported to have reached into their arsonal and have got out their WMDs.  This has got Israel on edge.

Meanwhile in the Persian Gulf.  The Iranians have threatened to shut off the straight of Harmuze.   If they do that then we are looking at not being able to get any of the oil from Iran, Kuwait and most of Saudi Arabia cannot get out.  This is in response to the western nations imposing sanctions against  them.  They have oil that no one is buying.  This oil is floating around Indian Ocean with no one to buy it.  They have made sales to India but no one else is buying.

In Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood has placed one of their own in the presidents office.  This has got Israel on edge.  Since 1978, they have had a peace agreement with Egypt.  The Brotherhood has not agreed to keep it.  The Military of Egypt is not necessarily on board with the agenda of the new regime.

How does  all this relate to Bible prophecy?  We know that in the Battle of Gog and Magog, a list of Nations including Persia and Magog are listed.  It does not include Egypt and Syria.  In Psalm 83, Those nations are listed.  The debate currently gong on in the prophetic community is if these two events are separate and by how far.  One thing that we do know there is an interesting reference to the rapture in Psalm 83.

Psa 83:3  They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.

Who are the hidden ones?  I would say that the rapture has already happened when this event takes place.  If you don't think so, look at Isaiah

Isa 26:20  Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.

So if Psalm 83 is the first event, then the rapture has to come first.  Does that mean the rapture is soon.  Looks like it.  If the rapture happens, then America will be left the weakest from the event.  So at that point, the attacks will come upon America.  Israel will win that battle and it looks like peace.  At that point, Russia, Persia and It's allies will attack Israel.  They will also attack America.  You don't think so.  Then Answer who lives "carelessly in the Isles".

Eze 39:6  And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD.

As the pretrib Activist, I would advise against any attacks.  But knowing is coming I will tell each of the readers that it is time to examine yourself to see if you are in the faith.  If war is imminent, then the rapture is even more imminent. 

So for now keep looking up, for your redemption is drawing neigh.

The Harbinger Debate

The Harbinger By Cahn, Jonathan

There have been many articles written about the new book now on the best seller list called The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn.  There is now a lot of articles written in opposition to what he is saying.   I can't figure out why some very respected people would come out so violently against the book.  It is almost as bad as how some come out violently against the doctrine of the Rapture. 

I had Rabbi Cahn on my show several weeks ago.  He has been on many shows from many points of view and has been gracious to go on shows with host who have written against his book.  So let me go over what the objections are and what should be our response in the Christian community.

First of all it is the Character of the prophet.  While I disagree that this would ever occur in the real world, remember this book is a book written as Faction.  Faction is a fictional story written around facts in the real world.  The fictional character is a prophet.  I did get a chuckle out of Stan Johnson at the Prophecy Club as he kept insisting that this was an Angel.  Stan, it was a fictional character and you can call him whatever you want.  As a fictional story it was horrible.  I do like Dan Brown because he has a great story line in his fiction.  With Dan Brown, you can't trust the facts that he is trying to present.

The Second objection is over replacing America or the church for Israel.  Isaiah 9:10 as you read it deals with the nation of Israel.  Jonathan, being Jewish by descent, doesn't disagree with that.  The primary meaning for Isaiah is 9 is the nation of Israel. But the further question is is this a one time fulfilled prophecy or not?  If you study prophecy like I have for nearly 40 years now, You will learn several things.  One is that prophecy is throughout the Bible.  Starting in Genesis 3 where it prophecies the seed of the woman crushing the seed of the serpent riight up until John, says "Even so come quickly", The Bible is 4/5ths history 3/5ths of which is prophetic.  As you read the Torah, first five books of the old testament, you will see prophecy being told as history.  When Moses is being told to strike the rock and the speak to it, you will see prophecy being made in that Moses was punished for not doing it correctly and thus ruining the prophetic story line.  Jesus is the rock.  He was struck on his first coming.  On his second all he will need to be done to get the water of life is to speak to him.  The challenge on Old Testament prophecy is not that you have primary meaning but that you sometimes have secondary meanings.  The Rabbis will some times say that a passage can have four meanings.  The literal, the symbolic, the allegorical and the hidden.  Literal is always primary so you have to study a passage to get the rest.  Jonathan has done that in giving us a secondary meaning on Isaiah 9:10.
The Jewish mindset on prophecy is prophecy is pattern, not necessarily like the Greek mindset of prediction fulfillment.  

Many dispensationalist will not agree with what I just said.  I have heard some preachers say that Matt 5-7, sermon on the mount, was written for a Jewish audience.  Hogwash.  If it is in our Bible, it was written for us.  We need to study it.  Isaiah 9 is in our Bible we need to study it.  Is it written for today?  I didn't think so until the harbingers started showing up.  So as a prophecy with multiple meanings, this is one that could fit.

Let's look at the Context of Isaiah 9.  In Isaiah 9:6, we have the famous pass about Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given....7. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David...".  Verse 6 was fulfilled in his first coming, verse 7 will be fulfilled in his second coming.  So we are jumping around on the time line here and then it goes to the current situation in Israel in verse 10 with the "Bricks are Fallen..".  Isaiah is famous for this.  Isaiah 61:1 Jesus quotes in Luke 4,  quoting verse 1 and then sitting down saying it was fulfilled.  He doesn't read verse 2 which was part of the days required reading because that was still for a future time to be fulfilled.

Finally we have to look at the message of the Harbinger.  The message is that judgement is coming to America and we need to repent.  By standing up and saying to ignore the book because it has bad theology is like saying that that guy trying to save you from the truck barreling down the road is doing it wrong because he tackled you with his head behind your back instead of in front like your football coach taught you how to do in Junior high.  Wow.  The man is trying to save you and your country and you want to fight him on semantics.   Jonah went to Nineveh and preached 40 days and you will be judged and they repented.  Jesus said that "they will stand up in the last day and Judge this generation because a greater then Jonah is here."   They will also judge this generation because I think that Jonathan is a better preacher then Jonah.  Jonah didn't even like the people he preached to.  Jonathan has a genuine care about this country and the people he preaches to.

Agree or disagree with Jonathan's theology.  The message of the story is one that needs to be heeded by all who will read it.  America is in need of repentance.  I started this blog as an attempt to get America to repent.  America is not repenting.  This book documents that fact.  America will fall into judgement.  It is now up to you to repent and be saved from the wrath that is to come.

Is correct eschatology important part 2.

I was listening to a show on the prophecy club and got an idea.  I want to flesh it out here and see if it flies.  Several years ago there was a card game called the Illuminati game.  One of the cards showed tall buildings fall.  another showed wars.  One of the last cards had aliens.  These cards have turned out to be uncannily accurate.  So the last card supposedly is the Alien card.  One of the things we know about Satan is that he is not stupid.  He knows the Bible better then most Biblical scholars.  He has twisted it in more ways than most of us have heard of.  One of the major theologies is one known as amillennialism.  This says that there will be no tribulation but Jesus will return at any moment and we start eternity.  If the next event is for an Alien invasions.  Who do you think will be invading?  Of course we don't believe that there are aliens from other planets but they are from another dimension.  Sometimes known as the multiverse.  They have been thrown out of heaven so they are playing around down here.   We have been prepared for years for their arrival by many science fiction movies.  If these guys show up and then someone shows up  to save the day.  And that person claims to be the Christ and has all kinds of lying signs and wonders then the millions of people who hold the a millennial view will  automatically fall for it.

Almost every place the Bible talks about then kinds it starts with a warning to not be fooled.  Many will come in my name.  And If they say that I am here or I am there then don't believe it.  There will be a strong delusion that if it were possible it would deceive the very elect.  If someone shows up and says that he is God and performs the miracles, and the Pope buys it, then you better not.That is the Beast.  The man of sin.  The son of Perdition.  Of course we know that the rider of the white horse that shows up first is not the true Christ.  He is antichrist.

Which gets back to why we study eschatology.  We study it so that we are on the same page with God.  The Bible is 4/5ths history and 1/3rd of that is pre-written in the form of prophecy.  Many times it is mixed together.  We must strive to study it and know it so that we know what God's plan is.  Hosea said that my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.  We don't study this stuff.  While are what if scenarios may or may not work, we are always required to know the text so that when it does happen, we can say ah ha, that is what is going on.  Daniel said that this knowledge would be sealed until the end times.   Revelation said, don't seal it for the Time is at hand.  Well the time is at hand.  Keep looking up.  Your redemption is drawing neigh.

Earthquakes, Tornados, and Volcanos Oh My!

Wow, has the last two weeks have been exciting if you are following earth changes, Matthew 24 prophecies or any of the other one of the multitude prophecies concerning the end times.  Here is just a short list.  Since an 8.6 earthquake struck in Indonesia last Tuesday, we have had no less then a dozen 6.0 or higher earthquakes throughout the planet.  We generally see them on the ring of fire but a new one popped up this morning on the border between South American plate and the Antarctic plate in the middle of the south Atlantic. 

Tornadoes and Hail have not only hit in Mid America from Amarillo to Minneapolis, We have also had them in South Arabia. The hail pictures I have been seeing have been as large as 18 inches.  It is now at an incredible size.  Baseball and softball size hail has become the norm.  We had the large tornadoes last year but this year it started even earlier.

Volcanoes.  Well that has been incredible watching.  Costa Rica has two going off.  Mount Etna is going off in Italy.  There are several going in Indonesia.  According to the extinctionprotocal  forty-nine volcanoes have gone off since the first of the year. 

Two things I want to know.  Why doesn't the mainstream media talk about this more?  Why do I have to read about this is sources like blogs to find out what is going on?  The second thing I want to know is what is causing all this?  There have been many explanations.  Everything form HAARP to Frac well drilling to the approach of Nibiru(Wormwood).  I will tell you that any one or all of these could be working together on it.  We may never know until after the fact or in heaven. 

What we do know is that the earth is groaning.  It is cracking up.  It is in convulsions.  It is in birth pangs.  What that means is that the time of Tribulation is near.  If you see the Christmas decorations going up in the store, you know Thanksgiving is close.  If you see these signs you know the rapture is near. 

Time to get right with God.  Keep your ear to the ground and an eye on the sky. 

Is it time to call the midwife?

Looking the the usgs.gov website, there has been a whole lot of shaken going on.  You can also say the hits just keep on coming.  When you look at it you see the size of the quakes getting larger and more frequent.  In the last twenty four hours we have had two 8. earthquakes in Samontra,  Two Six point earthquakes in Mexico,  5.9 off the coast of Oregon.  5.3 in Japan.  There has been an interesting one in Utah and one off Nova Scotia.  

Jesus said when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, famines, pestilence and earthquakes in diverse places look up.  Look up for redemption draweth neigh.   Matthew 24 calls this the beginning of sorrows.  The Greek word is odeen which is the pains of childbirth.   I have four children myself and have been there for each of the births.  I know what that looks like.  I've been there when we had the children at home and when we had them in a hospital.  So we won't get into the whole midwife/hospital controversy in this post.  Though at another time and another place that would be a great discussion.  The thing I am seeing is the time is approaching.  What a doctor or a midwife would say is, when the contractions are close together, then we are ready to deliver.  There is something called Braxton-Hix contractions.  They are false labor pains.  A woman who is in touch with her body knows the difference.  With this round of earthquakes and the frequency of them happening, I say we are beyond Braxton-Hix and ready to call  the midwife to come and deliver the baby.

The question now becomes are you ready?  To be ready is simple.  Call upon the name of the Lord and you shall be saved.  For those who have already done so, are your garments, cleaned and pressed and ready.  Time to pray up.  Time to look up, for our salvation draweth neigh.  

G.O.S.P.E.L

This is the g.o.s.p.e.l.  What more can I say.

Hey Hated

A response to Stephen Furtick’s Hay Haters video

                               

Hey Hated, We know this is not about us.  That is why we walk to a higher standard.

You say we are not suppose to judge.  But everywhere Christians in the Bible show discernment; there is high praise for that Church.

Hey Hated.  Many of us never knew you existed until you had to put out a video saying that we were persecuting you.

Be real, you think that you were the church of Smyrna;  I see no one breaking in and murdering all your members.  Come with me to a church in Iran or China and find out what being hated really is.

You claim that thousands have come to know Jesus Christ in your services.  Yet not a one of them  has been taught how to study the Word of God.   You lead them to salvation but you don’t teach them to become disciples.

Hey, hated.  You say that you have such great outpourings in your services.  Yet when you stand before Jesus on the judgment day, he’ll say I never knew you.  Depart from me you workers of iniquity.

You have a form of Godliness but deny the power thereof.   From such I am commanded to turn away.

Yes, this is not about us.  This is about being a part of the church of Jesus Christ. 

I agree that we need to be more loving.  The Church of Ephesus, while it was strong in its doctrine, would not have let you or your type teach in their church;  yet Jesus said they lost their first love.  For that he was going to take away their candlestick. 

But you are the church of Laodicea. Jesus said that you are neither hot nor cold.   Because of that he will spew you out of his mouth. To such Jesus commands you to buy from him gold, tried in the fire; white raiment, that you should be clothed; and eyesalve that you may see.  He is knocking on the door of your church.  If anyone opens the door, he will come in and fellowship with them.

This is not about a new day.  This is about preparing for the Day of the Lord.  A day which cannot come unless there first being a falling away.  There is a reward for those of us who stand until that day. 

Hey Hated.  You are really loved.  We wouldn’t even be talking to you unless we knew that there was hope for you.  We are not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Repentance.  Do you even know what that word means?  It means that you are lost in your sins and that the proper judgment for what you have done is death.  Paul said the wages of sin is death.  It means an eternity in Hell.  I know you don’t believe in that place.  It is only mentioned in the Bible in fifty-four verses. 

It means that God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.  That word begotten was left out of your Bible too.  It means that Jesus was the only son born from the seed of God himself. Because of that death, we have all been given the power to become the sons of God.  But it is only through the second birth.  Don't be amazed when I say, Ye must be born again.

The word repentance means that you acknowledge that you are a sinner and have need to turn from that sin and pursue a life of Holiness.  I admit most of us are not there.  That is why I can only call myself a sinner saved by grace.  This is a doctrine you won’t teach because you don’t understand it yourself.  Turn from your wicked way today and be loved.