"What I Do"

I decided to make one for myself. ;-)  and yes, the last one of what I actually do is a time line I actually made... about 2 years ago.

Puppets

In response to the very convicting words, "it looks as if you have stopped writing for some time" I will answer "what's new and is there anything else that you have learned lately?"


Where to begin...


Well, how about some conspiracy theories?  How about the "accidental" burning of the Korans by the military this past week? And about the apologies given by our leadership? 
This is just a recent thing, not by any means the "big story", but it just shows me that we are playing right into the hands of Satan. Everyone knows you get riots and retaliation killings when you burn Islamic holy books. They held intelligence information, and should have been kept as evidence, but instead were burned... on accident? Odd. Sounds to me like fuel for the fire.  Then to apologize to a culture that takes apologies as a sign of weakness, again: fuel.
Radical Islamists are trying to cause chaos, they look for every opportunity. Chaos and World War will bring about the 12th Mahdi; it's what they want!


How about "identity theft"?  "Let's get the whole world so scared about it, that they'll be begging us to put micro-chips in them."


How about the Republican candidates?  "Let's offer division to the party, no one that has full support of the majority, no one that can beat Obama... let's ensure that we lose."  (Now I'm not saying people are aware of what's happening, but you can bet your bottom dollar that the Spiritual realm is sitting back well pleased with the situation.)


The coming "economic tsunami" as it was called in a news article my husband pointed out to me, will send America to its knees, and we will be enveloped into the one world government, perhaps within a year.
I imagine that the celestial turmoil coming up near the end of 2012 will be on a catastrophic level that the US will not be able to "help", and shortly there after a very "nice" man with all the answers will enter stage right and "solve" the world's problems.
Secret societies around the world composed of very rich and powerful people play with our countries like puppets on strings.
In 1999 when loaning laws changed, someone chuckled at how our banks would fall.
When the Vietnam War took 10 years to end, rich American funders of weapons to the enemy patted themselves on the back for a job well down.
As less and less labels bare the mark of "made in the USA" all the people who know America has to fall for one world government to rise, sit on the edge of their seat, knowing the end is near.
As God's laws are torn off court room walls, the puppet masters smile knowing that "all men" will soon not be seen as "created equal".


It is a wonderful and terrible time to be alive! Just think of all the prophecy we get to see fulfilled. How comforting it is to know that the end has been written. Not one "jot or tittle" will be changed.


I will have to do some reading and praying before I have a well composed blog entry, but for now I thought I'd just write some recent thoughts in answer to the comment by Vinn I received this morning.
Thanks Vinn.

The Death of True Tolerance

"Force makes hypocrites, 'tis persuasion only that makes converts." William Penn 1675
If we look at the history of religion around the world, it's easy to assume that all have used force to "convert" people, but that's not entirely true. In Old Testament days there were many a gory battle between Jews and Gentiles, but not for the sake of  conversion. 
Many people think that the crusades of the old English times were about conversion, but that is also untrue. (They were a counter-action to the Islamic forces taking over the area).  Judaism and Christianity, though both leaders in many wars have not done so to convert people.  That would be very anti the God we believe in.  God gave us free-will and if we do not afford people the same right we have no business calling ourselves Christians or Jews.
Islam, known as the religion of the sword, is another matter entirely. The Qur'an clearly states to kill those that denounce the faith.  It also says to treat others as 'less than'. It teaches that a non-Muslim's testimony is less valuable in court, and that all non-Muslims must be subdued... by force, by false peace... by whatever means necessary.
I quoted William J. Federer on facebook yesterday saying, "Secular-Atheism is actually a temporary state, facilitating Western Civilization's transition from Judeo-Christian values to Islamic values." 
We can see how this has worked in Europe and now we are seeing the shift in America.
Federer describes how agendas are promoted in his book What Every American Needs to Know About The Qur'an, "Social agendas are promoted through media, public education, courts and buying of political office.  The first step is to deconstruct traditional values and history.  Next, education, movies and television programs portray an unacceptable social behavior in a humorous way, then progressively show that behavior in a positive light, then finally ridicule and intimidate those who oppose that behavior."
If you've lived for any amount of time watching TV you can see this clearly taking place. In my lifetime we have come around from showing gays in a humorous way, to now ridiculing those who disapprove of the gay lifestyle. We have also gone from showing the wife as the "help-mate" to the wife as the boss, and the husband as the idiotic Neanderthal, with his head between his legs.
I could go on in that direction, but that's not the point I'm trying to make.
America was founded by Christians seeking religious freedom. Many denominations of Protestantism and even Catholics all came here with tolerance of each other in mind. Now we have become a country that does not tolerate the very religion that preaches tolerance. It is idiotic to believe that if you get rid of Christianity that tolerance will still exist.  Morals are based on beliefs. Islam believes that not all men are equal, and definitely not women. Yet America is bending over backwards to make sure that Islam is welcome here.  Secular-Atheists believe in 'relativism'; "what's true for you, may not be for me", etc. But in their actions they fight God's truth with all of their efforts. Judeo-Christian morality is the only one that allows people to live in peace.
As we enter these final years we will be able to watch as our freedoms are taken away from us. We will see tolerance only for those who seek the new world order, and we will be left with no other options.  Eventually this will be the perfect scenario for Biblical predictions of things like "the mark of the beast".
I have had friends laugh at me when I talk about "slippery slopes"... but truly, that is what we are looking at.

"Stop, Look, and Listen"

Revelation 3 talks to the church in Sardis, “You have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead… Wake up!”… “But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come.” 

The church of Sardis is a lot like the church in our nation.  All over the world they think of America as a Christian nation, that’s our reputation.  But America is asleep.  We’ve been lulled to sleep by a false sense of security, by prosperity, and by our “me” culture.  We are completely oblivious to the stuff that’s going down in the rest of the world.

In the parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25) both the foolish and the wise virgins fell asleep.  At midnight the cry rang out, “The Bridegroom is here! Come out to meet him!” But only the wise virgins had oil left in their lamps, and the foolish ones, left to buy oil and came back later to the door of the wedding feast saying, “Lord, Lord, open the door for us!”  But he replied, “Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.” Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

You can have a Christian reputation and not really be one. You can dress and act like one, like the foolish virgin who thought she was all set to go into the wedding banquet, but she didn’t have enough oil to stick it out until He arrived.  There is a Great Tribulation coming and we are going to need our anointing. We are going to need the Holy Spirit, not just half way full in our jar, but spilling over. 

Jesus warned the Pharisees “You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. “ (Matthew 16:3) Then he calls them a wicked and adulterous generation.  Is our generation any different?  Are we really not supposed to be discerning the signs of our own times?       

Almost every time I tell someone that I have been studying eschatology for three years now, they say, “does it really matter how and when it’s going to happen so long as you have a good relationship with God?”  My answer is this, Knowing what I know now has made me live with a sense of urgency.  I don’t have the “time” I once thought I did.  Yes a genuine relationship with the Almighty is all that matters for your personal salvation, but what about others? The harvest is plenty but the workers are few (Matthew 9:37).   Proverbs 10:5 even says that “he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son.”  Now is harvest time. Most Christians in America don’t actively share their faith. Do you?

Luke 21:28 says, “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near!”  How are you gonna know when to lift up your head if you don’t know what “these things” are? The disciples asked the same question in Matthew 24. They asked, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus answers them in the following verses, and the account is told again in Mark 13 and Luke 21.  Not only there but Daniel, Ezekiel, Joel, Isaiah, Revelation, and a little in the other prophets as well, also tell of things that will happen in the End Times.      Wars, rumors of wars… There will be an increase in natural disasters. Signs in the heavens. Peoples’ hearts will grow cold and they will only care about themselves and money. There will be a surge of information and technology. If I had a timeline map in front of me, there would be a little bubble like on a mall map that says “you are here!” 

He also says that there would be an abundance of false prophets in the last days.  He told his disciples to watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees; meaning the false teaching of the Pharisees.  What’s the best way to guard against false teaching?  To know the bible. Read it for yourself.  Study it for yourself.

(Don’t forget words like “but” and “therefore”.  “Therefore” is an important word in (hermeneutics) bible study, never take it out of the sentence, it’ll confuse the context.  It’s just like the “but” in Revelation 3. “But, if you do not wake up, I’ll come like a thief.”  And in the parable of the Ten Virgins it says, “Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know the day or hour”. It’s very different to say, to both the awake and the asleep I will come unexpectedly than it is to say, if you are asleep I’ll come unexpectedly, BUT if you are awake, you will see me coming.  Read all around the verse, not just the verse.  When you are studying read other books that have similar wording or OT tie-ins and parallels etc.)

"Stop" sleeping. God says, “Behold, I am doing a new thing, do you perceive it?” He is always at work; it’s our own fault if we do not see it.  “Look” around you for the signs (signs in the Middle Eastern nations and in the heavens). “Listen” for the trumpet… the mighty blast that proclaims “The Bride groom is coming!”  Then get ready… put the Holy Spirit oil in your jar, don’t think you can take some of your neighbor’s or your parent’s, get your own, and stand firm waiting on your redeemer. 

 

Rev 1:3, says “blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.”  The word “blessed” is translated “happy” in many instances throughout the bible.  Happy are those that study prophecy.  Why is that do you think?      Have you ever had a test where the teacher told you which questions would be on it in advance?  How happy were you?  God doesn’t leave us in the dark about what’s on the “test”, he tells us straight up.  

I have been intentionally reading verses about the thousand year reign of Christ and about the New Earth that follows that, to give myself a clear goal that I can grasp. If I had the common world view that Heaven is up in the clouds and we have harps and have to sing all day, I wouldn’t be quite so ready to persevere for that.  But what God has in store for us is beyond our hopes for perfection.          

One of the many scriptures with a glimpse of what’s to come is Isaiah 11. (I’ll start at verse 6)  “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the cobra’s den, the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” 

We can also find encouragement in the letters to the 7 churches in Revelation 2 and 3. The beginning of each letter brings conviction, and the end gives hope. One letter says “He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.”  And another, “I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.” One more; “I will give authority over the nations”.  I don’t know about you, but I want every blessing that is available to me.  That’s why I’m so jazzed to live right now. 

God promises that those who live through the end times have a special blessing of reigning for a thousand years with him on this earth, before the new heavens and new earth are put in place, before much of the redeemed even get a chance at their resurrected lives.  That’s found in Revelation 20:4-6. Hallelujah! I’m going to be there! How about you?  Wake up and you’ll be ready.  Don’t let this culture lull you to sleep.  “Stop sleeping, Look for signs, Listen for the trumpet call”.

How long is God's Wrath?

 ^{Just the other day I posted a comment about being "pre-wrath" as opposed to "pre-trib", and I got a response that perplexed me. The response basically said that "pre-wrath" was the same as "mid-trib".
I'm not sure where that idea came from, but in my mind that doesn't fit at all.  
Because this comment came from a leader in my church I thought I should explain the difference to others out there that may think the same thing.
There are those that think of the Tribulation as being 7 years, and those who think of it as being 3 1/2 years. I am fine with both of these thoughts, because the Tribulation is not revealed clearly until the 3 1/2 year mark.  
I personally think we are in the first part of the seven years now, but I will not know for a fact until I see the 3 1/2 mark come to pass. At that mid-way point there are many things mentioned specifically; not the least of which is "the abomination that causes desolation". Then Israel being cared for miraculously, while the Anti-Christ turns his attention to Christians who are then be-headed, plundered, etc. while the two witnesses pour out plagues on the people who are loyal to the Anti-Christ.  All of these things are in the last 3 1/2 years.  
Then, according to my beliefs, the church will be raptured and there will be a brief time of God's Wrath starting at the temple in Jerusalem, and circling out from there.  The angel of death will kill everyone without the seal of God on them. These sealed individuals will be the people (mainly Jews, I assume) that receive salvation directly following the rapture of the church. 
Ezekiel 9:3-6 talks about this:}
 “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it.” As I listened, he said to the others, “Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity or compassion. Slaughter the old men, the young men and women, the mothers and children, but do not touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the old men who were in front of the temple."
And in Revelation if you go through the chapters you'll notice that in earlier chapters it talks about a third of everything dying, or turning to blood, then in chapter 16 on, it says "every living thing in the sea" died, and so on.
There is clearly a distinction between His 'Wrath" and the just the 'Tribulation".
The talk about a third of things dying etc. goes right along with all the verses about the three and a half years.


But why do I think that the wrath only lasts weeks and not months or years?  That is simple. I look at the Fall Feasts, and I look at history.
In the Fall Feasts (that I've already talked about in previous posts) we see that The Feast of Trumpets speaks of the rapture (the Feast where "no one knows the day or hour") and wedding of the Lamb and all that.  We see that The Feast of Tabernacles speaks of God coming to dwell with us, happiness, and a time for explaining the scriptures.  In between these two feasts we have the Day of Atonement: a day when the veil is lifted and the priest goes into the Holy of Holies; a perfect time for Jews to clearly see their Messiah.
There are two weeks between the two feasts; plenty of time for the Wrath of God.


If you doubt that that is enough time for the Wrath of God, let me point you to history...
2 Samuel 24, when David took a census.  He wasn't supposed to, and God gave him three options:
vs 12. "I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you."“Shall there come on you three years of famine in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you? Or three days of plague in your land?"
David said to Gad, the prophet of God, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.” So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died. When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the Lord was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite."  (Which is where David ended up telling Solomon to build the temple).  It is no coincidence that this is the same site that God's Wrath starts at the end.
Three days was the time allotted for God to plague Israel in the time of David.  Seventy thousand died, but God stopped the angel before he stretched his hand out toward Jerusalem.
  Two weeks is plenty of time!
..and that's all I have to say about that.


 

Psalms 83

With Egypt's fate hanging in the balance I thought today's bible reading was very interesting.

Here's Psalms 83 verses 1-8

"O God, do not remain silent; do not turn a deaf ear, do not stand aloof, O God. See how your enemies growl, how your foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire against your people; they plot against those you cherish. “Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation, so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.”  With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you— the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites, Byblos, Ammon and Amalek, Philistia, with the people of Tyre. Even Assyria has joined them to reinforce Lot’s descendants."

As you may remember from my last post or if you're good with geography Edom, Moab, and Ammon are inside modern day Jordan. Amalek is east of Egypt and Philistia is near Gaza. Tyre and Byblos are in modern day Lebanon, and Assyria is modern day Turkey. 

If Egypt's new government does not uphold their peace treaty with Israel, Israel will be in the same predicament as it was back in the Psalms... surrounded by enemies on all sides.  The quote inside Psalm 83 "Come, Let us destroy them as a nation, so that Israel's name is remembered no more," is exactly what Ahmadinejad had said he wants to do.

All eyes are on the middle east.  Actually, I'd say one eye on them, one looking up.

Luke 21:28 "When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

Present day Beast

On You Tube search for "Walid Shoebat Kingdom of the Antichrist".  
(maybe this link will work). http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=B3964578952A6A97Sit back and learn!


Walid is a former Islamic terrorist who converted to Christianity.  I have read some of his works, and listened to him on numerous radio shows, but I had not stumbled across this video before.
It was very informative and just made me rethink all the commentary I've ever heard on ALL of the Bible, not just the books of prophecy.
One point he makes that threw my western hermeneutics into a spin is his talking about "mountains".  He quotes "with the faith of a mustard seed, you can move mountains," and goes on to mock how westerners have made mountains mean any obstacle we face.  He explains that in the east mountains have always meant "kingdoms", and that is evident when Revelation talks about the "woman who sits on  7 mountains", etc.
He talks about the geographical location of all countries mentioned in Daniel and Revelation and how they are all Muslim nations alive today.  The animal parts of the beast in Revelation 13 that we so readily believe as literal places in Daniel have not changed in being mentioned in Revelation.  The mouth of a lion, still speaks of Babylon, which is present day Iraq.  The feet of a bear still speaks of the Medo-Persian empire, present day Iran.  The body of a leopard encompasses the area of the ancient Grecian empire today the 10/40 window.  The Iron is NOT the Roman empire, it is the Ottoman empire. The Antichrist is called the prince of Tyre, modern day Lebanon.  He is also called the Assyrian which is modern day Turkey.  (K)Cush is said to follow him, and that's modern Sudan.  He goes on.
In another video that I went to after watching all of these Walid talks about the symbolism of what we call "666" and how is matches Arabic writing that says "In the name of Allah".
I highly encourage you to at least put on this series of videos and let it play in the background of your day. Then you decide if you wanna look up more of what he says.


Walid will be on the Hannity show tonight (Feb 1 2011).
I'm hoping he will talk about Egypt!