Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Breaking News - Good, For a Change!

Father of Slain Marine Wins Case Against Foul Phelps Family

When decisions like this come down, it reassures me that at least some semblance of our system of justice is still intact!

There seems to be a controversy over whether this horrible cult is considered to be "right-wing" or "left-wing." Heard Bill O'Reilly tell the nation on his show the other day that apparently, Fred Phelps (the lunatic founder and father of these sickos) is a registered Democrat! The moonbats are not going to like to hear that!!

Whatever their political affiliation, the fact that this family is so far out there and doesn't believe that salvation is possible for repentant homosexual behavior, just shows how far from God's Word and Truth in the Bible they really are!

Found this interesting article:

Fred Phelps, Homosexual Activists Both Wrong

Excerpt:

Fred Phelps insists that individuals who engage in homosexual behavior are beyond hope or redemption, a false doctrine that -- while at odds with the true Christian gospel of repentance and forgiveness available to all -- is much closer to that of homosexual activists who echo Phelps' insistence that individuals involved in homosexual behavior have no hope of abandoning that lifestyle.

We strongly disagree. The false gospel preached by Fred Phelps and the Triangle Foundation is proven wrong by the life experience of individuals who through faith, with God's help, have abandoned homosexual activity and now live their lives in normal loving relationships between a man and a woman, many married with children. In four Michigan cities, counseling services are available staffed by individuals who themselves abandoned homosexual behavior and are compassionately committed to giving others hope and help in doing so.


In a former blogpost titled Many Will Be Deceived, I pointed out the same fact about the Phelps cult.

Excerpt:

A few nights ago, I witnessed a verbal exchange between Sean Hannity, Alan Colmes, and a member of the Westboro "Baptist" church (Fred Phelps fame). What a riveting segment. That group is a cult that has, unfortunately, been used to discredit true Christian ministries that seek to help people who are unhappy and struggling with same-sex attraction find freedom in Jesus Christ.

This group goes even further down to the pit of Satan. They were picketing at funerals, demonstrating against, and demeaning our brave military heroes who had given their lives in the effort to defeat terrorism and keep our country safe from any additional attacks since the tragedy of 9/11.

This is profoundly ugly. It's totally disgraceful and utterly unChristian to do such a thing. Yet, these people think that they are the "genuine" Christians and all the rest of us are "abominations."

The Bible does not call people abominations. It calls certain acts of sin abominations.

I would like to state one important observation about the Phelps cult member that appeared on Hannity and Colmes. She never once mentioned the power and saving grace that any sinner can be given through repentance and belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior!


That one fact is what unites Christ's true, universal church (believers, not a denomination or building) despite differing "human traditions" added to individual denominations! This is the crux of the matter. If a church does not teach, "Jesus Christ and him crucified" as the way of salvation, then it is not following what God requires for reconciliation between God and man.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 (NKJV)
Christ Crucified
2And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the *testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of *human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

I feel bad for that group of 100 people who are under the deception of Satan through Fred Phelps skewed ideology. But this is what happens when people follow a finite man's lead rather than the eternal Son of God, Jesus Christ and His revealed Word, the Bible.

1 Corinthians 2:6 (NKJV)

Spiritual Wisdom
6 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. (bold mine)



HT: Michele Malkin

HT: Christians Unite Columnist Gary Glenn

LGF: Fred Phelps Freaks Lose Big

Malkin Trackback URL:
http://michellemalkin.com/2007/10/31/
breaking-father-of-slain-marine-wins-case-against-foul-phelps-family/

Discerning the Signs of the Times

Mat 16:3 And in the morning, [It will be] foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O [ye] hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not [discern] the signs of the times?

That specific verse was recalled to my mind on the third day during the horrible CA wildfires.

I do not think that it was by accident that during a new internet search this morning, I found this awesome post that shares how Christians should be recognizing, and discerning, the signs of the times. Jesus himself told us to do this in Matthew 16:3!

The article below may not be a totally comprehensive piece, but what it shares is truly eye-opening. It specifically shows how very valuable the prophetic end times authors and prophets in the Bible are in order to see the "signs of the times" in today's world and news headlines.

We are definitely experiencing the "birth pangs" that Jesus spoke of when he walked the earth with his disciples. They asked him about the signs pointing towards the end of the age.

Matthew 24:8-9 "But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of my name."

Hasn't the hatred towards Jesus Christ, the truth of Biblical Christianity, and Christ's genuine followers been ratcheted up exponentially over the past decade? I certainly think so!

Christine

P.S. I have placed some of my own comments in between the text.

*******

The Bible gives many examples of signs that should warn us of the coming end of the age. Six such signs are given by Jesus, two characteristics are given by Paul, and eleven other occurrences are given by the prophets to occur prior to or soon after the end of the age.

While we are also told we will not know the time of the End, God obviously wanted us to know when that time was getting closer. As the Christian church is increasingly drawn into the interfaith movement, and as more and more churches go into isolation, preparing to sleep through the growing attacks on their faith, perhaps God knew it would take a few signs to wake us up and remind us that we have work to do.

Unfortunately, many Christians take the verses that tell us we won't know the time of His coming to mean they should ignore any and all scripture that might warn us of this time of tribulation. Others have fallen into the trap of fearing being labeled a "conspiracy theorist" should they display an interest in the Biblical prophecies about our future on Earth. My philosophy is simple. God included it in the Bible and, since God is all knowing, we should trust that it is something we should know and study along with the rest of His Word.

[C: I have read postings over the past few years from the more liberal denominations of Christianity that their pastors never teach or preach about the book of Revelation. That's scary! How are we to recognize or know about the signs that Jesus speaks of in Matthew 16:3 if we don't study every book of the Bible? ]

It is increasingly obvious that the time of our Lord's coming is drawing near. Prophecy is being fulfilled daily, and at a faster pace than ever before. Whether you believe in a pre-tribulation rapture, or believe Christians will be witness to the full tribulation, wrath, and final judgments, matters not. The beginning of birth pains and the signs of the times should have the same effect on all of us. It should motivate us to save as many souls as we can in the time that we have left.

The Great Commission tells us to be disciples to all nations, bringing the message of salvation through Christ to all people. If the Church is raptured before the tribulation, it is important that we leave behind an explanation for the trials and judgments those left behind will face. How else will they recognize the deception of the anti-Christ and seek instead the truth of the Bible? If we are to endure the tribulation along side them, we will need to be prepared to not only share the message of salvation, but share with them the reasons for God's judgment and hold it up as further proof of their need to be saved.

Below is a study of the prophetic signs God gave us as a warning of the approaching end of the age. Many of them are being fulfilled now and many will be fulfilled in the near future. I would encourage you to study prophecy, know what is coming and be prepared to share it with others.

Six signs given by Jesus Christ, indicating his coming and the end times.

Matthew 24:3
Jesus was asked, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?" Jesus told his apostles to look for the following signs prior to his second coming and the end of the age.

1. False Prophets and Christs

Matthew 24:5 "For many will come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and will mislead many."

Matthew 24:11 "And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many."

In the last several years many have claimed to be the Messiah. Jim Jones and David Koresh are examples of these false christs as well as countless others who are not as newsworthy. These false prophets are a prelude to the ultimate false christ, the antichrist. Many New Age groups, some even NGO's working for the United Nations, are anxiously awaiting the antichrist, preparing the way for his acceptance as the head of the hierarchy of gods and the one who will usher in world peace.


2. WARS

Matthew 24:6 "And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end."

Rumors of wars in all areas of the world now occur frequently thanks to instant media coverage and the availability of a multitude of 24-hour news sources.

Matthew 24:7 "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes."

More people have been killed in warfare in this century than at any other time in history. As the death toll rises in the Middle East, more and more countries work feverishly to develop devastating weapons of mass destruction.

[C: Add to that the expanding threat of terrorism and unpredictable dictators such as Kim Jong Il, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, as well as the global jihad goals of Al Qaida and the potential for the outbreak of war exists in nations, kingdoms and places across the globe.]


3. FAMINES

Matthew 24:7 "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes."

As Christian farmers are driven out of Africa in increasing numbers, and foreigners move in to replace life-sustaining crops with poppies that now supply 25% of the worlds drugs, famine spreads across the African continent. The undernourished are not limited to Africa, however. A large portion of the worlds 5 billion people suffers from a shortage of food.


4. EARTHQUAKES

Matthew 24:7 "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes."

The number and intensity of earthquakes this century is at a level higher than any other time in history. A staggering number of seismic events occur around the world daily.

5. TRIBULATIONS

Matthew 24:8-9 "But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of my name."

Christians are under attack throughout the world today. In the United States Christians still enjoy freedom to worship God without suffering much more than ridicule, hatred, or discrimination at work and school. However in many other countries such as China, Sudan, Africa, Saudi Arabia, Korea, Russia, and many Muslim nations, Christians suffer much greater persecution and oftentimes death for their faith. During the tribulation this suffering will be worldwide and will continue even to the point of martyrdom.

These first 5 signs will increase in intensity and severity as the tribulation approaches, much like the birth pangs or contractions of a pregnant woman worsen as the delivery time approaches.


6. THE GOSPEL WILL BE PREACHED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD

Matthew 24:14 "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall come."

This prophecy has already been fulfilled through television, radio, missionaries, the translation of the Bible into many languages, and the internet. People all over the world now hear the message of Christ from missionaries who have the means to travel the globe, and via technology that allows us to communicate with people on the other side of the world right from our own homes, churches and offices.

[It has become a new phenomenon that previous converts to Biblical Christianity in nations where Christian missionaries have visited over the past 50 years now come over to the U.S (which is now, unfortunately an more secularized nation that once held dearly to the Judeo-Christian values and ethics of our Founding Fathers) and other former Christian nations (like the U.K.) to re-evangelize the false converts and heretic-leaning denominations back towards true, biblical Christianity!]


Two characteristics of the end of the ages from the Apostle Paul

1. GODLESSNESS IN THE LAST DAYS

II Timothy 3:1-5,7 "But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of god; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."

For anyone who has watched television, read a newspaper, lost a retirement to corporate greed and corruption, or just walked outside their front door, it is obvious this prophecy has been fulfilled by our generation. Our leaders are often corrupt; our cities are filled with crime, brutality, and neon signs proclaiming our sinful, godless nature. The New Age Movement brings in increasing numbers of mystics who claim to be the enlightened ones. They are some of the most educated and influential people in our societies, and yet the most lacking in real truth.

[Our universities and colleges, which were originally started by Christians for the purpose of educating people in the wisdom and knowledge of the Bible, have now become secularized, agnostic, skeptic, and oftentimes downright atheistic in their teachings. Liberal professors outnumber conservative and/or Christian professors by a huge margin...if I recall correctly...something like 90% liberal/anti-Christian vs. 10% Christian/conservative/religious.] (If anyone visiting has stats please share.)

2. Apostasy (Falling away from the Faith)

I Timothy 4:1-3 "But the spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons. By means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth."

Churches today are becoming more and more ecumenical, embracing the New Age interfaith agenda, and denying Christ as the only way to salvation. Giving in to the politically correct media and a corrupt society, they have embrace homosexuality as an acceptable alternate lifestyle and preach tolerance and compromise in place of God's truth for the salvation of the world. The environmentalist movement within the New Age movement lures them into a worship of mother earth, belief in past lives, reincarnation, and Karma while demonizing all those who would eat the meat God gave us as nourishment for our bodies.

[I have written dozens of blogposts about this very thing!]

Eleven fulfillments of the Bible Prophecy Required for the end of the age.

1. EXISTENCE OF A 200,000,000 MAN ARMY IN THE EAST

Revelation 9:16 "And the number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them."

An army of that size had never existed until China's army reached that number in the 1960's.

2. REDEVELOPMENT OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (EUROPEAN COMMUNITY)

Daniel 2:32-33 "The head of the statue was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay."

Daniel 2:40-43 "Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things, so like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces. And in that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have the toughness of iron, and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. And in that you saw the iron mixed with clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery."

The fourth kingdom of iron is the Roman empire according to Daniel's interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream. The two legs are the division of the Roman empire into an eastern portion called the Byzantine empire which ended in the 1400's and a western portion based in Rome which ended in the 400's. The nations of Europe since the Roman empire dissolved have never adhered or formed one empire but continue as separate nations, however, the European Union now has 25 Member States.

[I would add the infiltration of Islam (some radicalized) into the "mix."]

3. RETURN OF THE ONE PURE LANGUAGE, HEBREW, TO ISRAEL

Zephaniah 3:9 "For then I will return to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent."

Prior to the restoration of Israel in 1948, Hebrew was a dead language. Now Hebrew is spoken throughout Israel.


4. REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE, RESTORATION OF TEMPLE WORSHIP AND ANIMAL SACRIFICES IN JERUSALEM

For several end time prophecies to be fulfilled, the temple will have to be rebuilt.

Revelation 11:2 "Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months."

Some archeologists believe that the temple mount is actually 340 feet south of the Dome of the Rock site, putting the Dome of the Rock within the Court of the Gentiles. This may be the court outside the temple that is left out.

There are many groups already working on preparations for the new temple. The blueprints are already done, the temple garments have been made, and there have already been attempts to lay the cornerstone of the temple. The only thing standing in the way of the construction of the new temple is Islam's third holiest site, the Dome of the Rock and government support for such an undertaking. Some possible scenarios for the rebuilding of the temple are as follows:

1. The persuasion and performing of miracles by the Antichrist and False Prophet convinces the Islamic world to approve the rebuilding.

2. The United Nations will negotiate the rebuilding of the temple following a war with the armies from the North (Russia and Islamic forces). This assumes that the war with the armies from the North is not the battle of Armageddon as some feel and that this attack occurs before the rapture or tribulation period begins. The supernatural destruction of the Russian army and Islamic forces will cause an outpouring of Christian worship and zeal amongst the Jewish people who will reconstruct the temple.

3. It is determined that the site of the first two temples is actually south of the Dome of the Rock, and the court of the gentiles (Dome of the Rock) will be left out of the 3rd temple.

A group in Israel called the Temple Mount Faithful have obtained most of the clothing, instruments and other equipment required for temple worship and are actively preparing for the laying of the third temple's cornerstone.

5. APPEARANCE OF THE RED HEIFER AFTER 2000 YEARS

Numbers 19:2-7 "This is the statute of the law which the Lord has commanded, saying, "Speak to the sons of Israel that they bring you an unblemished red heifer in which is no defect and on which a yoke has never been placed. "You shall give it to Eleazar the priest, and it shall be brought outside the camp and be slaughtered in his presence. Next Eleazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and sprinkle some of its blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven times. "Then the heifer shall be burned in his sight; its hide and its flesh and its blood, with its refuse, shall be burned. "The priest shall then wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward come into the camp, but the priest shall be unclean until evening."

A red heifer will be required to be used in the process of purification described in the book of Numbers. In May 1997 the first Red Heifer was born in 2000 years. Another red Heifer was born in Israel in March of 2002. Still one more red Heifer was born this year.

[I did a Bible study on the significance of the "red heifer" several years ago. When I locate it I will bring it into this post.]

6. INCREASE IN KNOWLEDGE AND TRAVEL

Daniel 12:4 "But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase."

Billy Graham was quoted as saying, "ninety percent of all the engineers and scientists who have ever lived are alive today." Air travel, space travel, DNA research and human cloning are all examples of the rapid increase in knowledge in our generation.

7. RETURN OF THE ETHIOPIAN JEWS TO ISRAEL

Zephaniah 3:10-11 "From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers, My dispersed ones, will bring My offerings. In that day you will feel no shame because of all your deeds by which you have rebelled against Me; For then I will remove from your midst your proud, exulting ones, and you will never again be haughty on My holy mountain."

In 1984, Operation Moses saw the airlift of 15,000 Jews who had already fled to refugee camps in Sudan to escape starvation. In 1991, Operation Solomon flew 20,000 Jews to Israel from Ethiopia itself. A further airlift began in June of 1999, aimed at transporting the last 3,000 members of the Quara Jewish community from northeastern Ethiopia to Israel.

8. THE RISE OF RUSSIA

Ezekiel 38:2,4,8 "Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him. I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords. After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them."

In order for some end time events to occur Russia will have to be a strong nation with a strong military.

9. RETURN OF RUSSIAN JEWS TO ISRAEL

Jeremiah 23:7-8 "Therefore behold, the days are coming declares the Lord, when they will no longer say, as the Lord lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt, but as the Lord lives, who brought up and led back the descendants of the household of Israel from the north land and from all the countries where I have driven them. Then they will live on their own soil."

In the 1970's and 1980's there was a mass exodus of Russian Jews out of Communist Russia. In 1999 the Associated Press reported a dramatic increase in the number of Jewish immigrants from Russia, bringing the largest number of Russian Jews to Israel since the early 1990's.

10. TECHNOLOGY FOR THE MARK OF THE BEAST

Revelation 13:16-17 "And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name."

On May 10, three members of a family in Florida became the first people to receive the biochip implant. Each device, made of silicon and called a VeriChip, is a small radio transmitter about the size of a piece of rice that is injected under a person's skin. It transmits a unique personal ID number whenever it is within a few feet of a special receiver unit. VeriChip's maker describes it as "a miniaturized, implantable, radio frequency identification device (RFID) that can be used in a variety of security, emergency and healthcare applications."

Is the biochip the mark of the beast to be used by the antichrist? We can't really know. What is significant is that people are being softened to the idea of a mark or an implant as a means of maintaining security, providing medical information, and regulating a more interdependent world. As attitudes change, fears subside, and people are convinced of the need for such a mark, the true mark of the beast will be easily introduced to the world by the antichrist.

11. PLANS FOR THE ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT

The United Nations, World Trade Organization, International Criminal Court, UN peacekeeping/police force, numerous UN NGO's, and other agencies are preliminary steps to the formation of a one world government. We now have the communications technology, transportation, and the pro-globalization media necessary to usher in the one world government headed by the antichrist. The increasing terrorist threat and the middle east conflict will only speed up the formation of this governing body as fear and promises of better security make more people willing to give up their national sovereignty for global governance.

12. INSTANT COMMUNICATION AROUND THE WORLD

Revelation 11:3, 7-10 "And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophecy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth. When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth."

Television and the 24-hour news networks make it possible for people around the world to see the dead prophets and rejoice at their deaths.

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

Luke 21:32 "Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place."

Daniels Time of the End.

We should first notice that the main subject of Daniel 12 is the time of the end. Daniel writes, "When the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished" (verse 7). This refers to verse 1, which says that Michael the archangel will stand up for, or assist and sustain, God's people during a time of trouble "such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time." This is a description of the Great Tribulation Christ echoes in Matthew 24:21-22. Both Daniel 12:7 and Revelation 12:14 show that the Great Tribulation will last three-and-one-half years, or "a time, times, and half a time." This is also 1,260 days or forty-two months Daniel 7:25; Revelation 11:2-3.

The angel tells Daniel that his prophecies would be sealed until the end of the age, but in that time "the wise would understand" Daniel 12:9-10. These prophecies will soon be fulfilled, and God is revealing what they mean to those who obey Him. The 1,290-day and 1,335-day time periods, then, refer to events that will happen to the people of God in this generation. Each period begins with a significant prophetic event, and both end at the return of Jesus Christ.

With these things in mind, notice verse 11: "And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days." This verse indicates that the Jews in the modern nation of Israel may restore the twice-daily sacrifice Exodus 29:38-39 for a short time. However, it does not necessarily suggest that a Temple will be built in our time in Jerusalem. They could legitimately offer these sacrifices with only an altar. Daniel 12:11 was fulfilled in type when Antiochus Epiphanes desecrated the Temple during his assault on Jerusalem in 167-164 BC. Daniel 8:9-14, 23-26.

Since this verse also states that the "daily sacrifice is taken away," it is likely that the armies of the Beast of Revelation 17, upon entering Jerusalem, will ban this ritual. Should this be the case, there would be 1,290 days-just a little over three and a half years-until the appearance of the Messiah.

The angel continues in Daniel 12:12, "Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days." This is a blessing pronounced upon the people of God who endure until the 1,335 days, that is, to the period beginning 1,335 days before Christ's coming.

Since no one knows the day of Christ's coming Matthew 24:36; Acts 1:7, we may not know exactly when the 1,335 days begin. Possibly, the organized efforts of God's people to proclaim the gospel to the world may end at that time. It has also been suggested that the daily sacrifices might be restarted at that time, but the Bible is unclear what happens to begin the 1,335 days.

Whatever the case, forty-five days later, or 1,290 days before the return of Christ, the Beast's armies will surround Jerusalem. Those who are worthy will have been warned and have 30 days to flee to a place of refuge God has provided for them Revelation 12:14-16. When God's church is in its place of protection, the 1,260 days ("a time, times, and half a time," or 42 months) of the Great Tribulation will begin. At the end of the 1,260 days, Jesus Christ will return to this earth.

In the meantime, as the angel says, we are in the process of being "purified, made white, and refined" Daniel 12:10. By putting on righteousness and holiness, with patient endurance, we can be among the blessed who wait and come to the 1,335 days.

Rise of the Anti-christ

God warns of a world leader who will soon rise and grow in power. It appears He will begin by exerting control over a ten nation alliance in Europe. Three leaders or nations will then fall or will be subdued . . .



Dan 7:24 "The ten horns are ten kings who shall arise from (out of) this kingdom (the Roman Empire - modern Europe). And another shall rise after them; he (the Anti-christ) shall be different from the first ones, and shall subdue three kings (or nations) . . ." (The end begins)


"Shall be different"... we don't know what nationality this man will be, or what might make him "different." This man will quickly consolidate power over Europe and then over the whole world through treaties and war. God warns this man will be empowered by Satan. He will lead the world into the Apocalypse. This coming world leader has been given many names and titles in the Bible, including one of the best known, yet most misleading - the Anti-christ. Although he will be against faithful Christians and will mock God’s law, the world will view him as a great leader and a man of peace. This man will be Satan’s counterfeit messiah. He will use deception and lies to "spin" his web of deceit and to conceal his true motives. Prophecies hint this man will not be fully revealed until after the Rapture, when the "Restrainer" is taken out of the way . . .

II Th 2:7-9 "For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains (the Holy Spirit) will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one (Anti-christ) will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one (Anti-christ) is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs (miracles), and lying wonders"


"He who now restrains" . . .

We are told that all who believe Christ died for their sins, was buried, then raised from the dead, and accept Him as Lord are "born again," and are then indwelt by the Holy Spirit. According to the Bible, you cannot separate the Holy Spirit from the believing Christian. This is God’s promise. So, in order to remove "He who now restrains" (the Holy Spirit), God must also remove the body of believers who are alive at that time. This is why many believe the man some call the Anti-christ cannot be revealed until after the Rapture of the Church . . . so we don't spend too much time trying to figure out who this guy is. Also, since there doesn't appear to be any obvious prophecies concerning America specifically during the Tribulation period, some feel the U.S. may be "neutralized" as an international restraining force at around this same time . . .


The Beast: The Rise of Satan's Anti-christ . . .

So, the world will soon get the leader it seems to be longing and waiting for. A powerful leader who will be popular, attractive, charismatic, and a great talker whose many words will not be chosen for truth, but for lies and deception. A leader who will kill many Christians and Jews . . .

Rev 13:1,2 "Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast (Satan’s Anti-christ) rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, (The book of Daniel explains these represent 10 nations he will rule) on his heads a blasphemous name . . . The dragon (Satan) gave him his power, his throne, and great authority."


II Th 2:9-10 "The coming of the lawless one (the Anti-christ) is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs (miracles), and lying wonders.

Rev 13:7 "It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them (he will slaughter millions). And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation." (This "leader will dominate "World" governments)


Zech 11:17 "Woe to the worthless shepherd, who leaves the flock! (Jewish? or Christian?)
A sword shall be against his arm and against his right eye; his [the Anti-christ’s] arm shall completely wither, and his right eye shall be totally blinded."
(This may happen when he receives his mortal "head wound")

This man whom we call the Anti-christ has been given many different titles in the Bible. The most well known term "Anti-christ" is unfortunate, because it is misleading. Misleading because, although this man will be against Christ, the world will see him as a "pseudo-christ." This man will not be ugly or scary looking. This future world leader will be Satan’s counterfeit Christ. This coming leader will be very, very popular in the eyes of the world. The world will love him. The world will see him as a great leader, a man of "peace," and as a "messiah." While God sees this man as a lying, evil, vicious, and bloodthirsty . . . "Beast."

We are told quite a bit about this future world leader, Satan’s counterfeit messiah, who will someday soon rise to power . . .

*He will be indwelt and empowered by Satan
*He will rise to power over a 10 nation union (weak nations mixed with strong ... Europe?!)
*He will somehow be 'diverse from the rest' so we are not certain he will be European
*He will bring peace, yet conquer through treaties and war
*He will be very, very popular around the world
*He will be a great talker and speech maker
*He will likely be charismatic and physically attractive, like King Saul
*He will receive what appears to be a fatal wound to the head
*He will appear to be resurrected from the dead
*His right eye may be blinded and his arm completely withered
*He will enforce a 7 year treaty with Israel (probably a "land for peace" treaty or resolution)
*He may help to get the new Jewish Temple built in Jerusalem
*He will require that everybody on Earth receive some kind of mark or identification on their forehead or hand and nobody will legally be able to buy or sell without it
*He will stand in a new Jewish Temple in Jerusalem and declare he is "God" (probably televised)
*Unspeakable terror will then reign on Earth for exactly 3½ years (1260 days) from this event
*He will direct the slaughter of millions of Christians and Jews
*He will lead the armies of the world into Israel . . . Armageddon.

A Second Beast will Rise.
The Anti-christ will have a religious partner . . .

Rev 13:11-12 "Then I saw another beast coming up out of the Earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast [the Anti-christ] in his presence, and causes the Earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast [the Anti-christ], whose deadly [head] wound was healed."

The Anti-christ will not be alone. Another man, also empowered by Satan, will rule with the Anti-christ. This powerful religious leader or "beast" (as God sees him) will rise to power with the Anti-christ. In this prophecy God reveals some important information and details concerning this "religious" man of power . . .

"Two horns like a lamb," tells us he will emerge with Christian credentials or doctrine, but "spoke like a dragon" tells us he will be controlled and directed by Satan. There are hints this man might be Jewish. This person, along with the religious system he will lead, is referred to as "The Woman Who Rides the Beast" in the book of Revelation. This evil, blood-thirsty "one-world" religion appears to rise out of Rome.


The "Image of the Beast" . . .

Rev 13:15 "He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed."


This religious leader will create some sort of an "image" representing the Anti-christ. All those who refuse to worship it will be executed. It may be something very miraculous, or it may be two-thousand year old vocabulary trying to describe some future technology such as robotics, animatronics, or virtual reality.


Rev 13:16-17 "He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name."


This prophecy is very crucial for those who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and will be alive when this law is enacted and enforced. This "mark" may be some kind of tatoo, or implanted microchip with all of your credit card and banking information, we really don’t know right now. It will not be easy to refuse this mark, whatever it is, for many of you will have families and children that will need to be fed. But, please be warned . . . by taking this mark, you will have sealed your eternal fate and doom. In God’s eyes it identifies you with the Anti-christ. There will be no turning back for any who take the "mark, the name of the beast, or the number of his name." The utter darkness and torments of Hell will be their fate. Blessings are promised in Heaven to all those who refuse the "mark" and refuse to bow down to this coming world leader . . . and die in their faith for doing so. The Lord will take the sting out of death.



"Here is wisdom.
Let him who has understanding
calculate the number of the beast [the Anti-christ],
for it is the number of a man:
His number is 666."
Rev 13:18



Wars And Rumors Of War

Just before He was crucified, the Lord told His disciples that as the End of the Age approached we would experience an increase of wars and rumors of war. Nation would rise against nation and Kingdom against Kingdom, He said.

In just one day last week (June 6, 2007) the headlines in my inbox from the various news and intelligence services I follow showed just how true the Lord's prophecies have become. As usual most of the action is in the Middle East. Here are the headlines with a little summary thrown in.

Another Middle East War Erupts Wednesday As 50,000 Turkish Troops Invade N. Iraq To Strike Rebel Kurdish PKK Bases

A total estimated by various news agencies of from 100K-250K troops are amassed along the Turkish border with Iraq, which Turkey has declared a military zone. Initial attacks met with heavy resistance from the Kurds.

Turkey is afraid that the US will grant the Kurdish people greater autonomy in Northern Iraq, and indeed the USD Army has withdrawn from the area turning responsibility for maintaining order over to the Kurds. Since parts of the historic Kurdish homeland are in Turkey and Iran as well as Iraq, and since Kurdish nationals have struggled long and hard to regain them, having a strong independent Kurdish presence on their borders has both Turkey and Iran upset, especially since that region includes oil reserves large enough to fund a Kurdish nationalist movement.

Syria Holds Back Full-Scale War With Israel As Last Resort While Its Proxies Win Low-Intensity Conflicts In Lebanon And Gaza

Syria is behind the Palestinian eruptions both in Gaza and the Lebanese refugee camps. The goal is to have them fight a war of attrition with Israel to wear down Jewish resistance so Syria can get a better deal at the peace table. Failing that, they're preparing for all out war, as the next headline will confirm. So far this strategy seems to be working since against all public opinion, Israeli PM Olmert has offered to return the Golan Heights to Syria in exchange for Syria's disengagement from Iran and Hizballah.

Syrian Official: Syria Preparing for War with Israel

A member of the Syrian parliament, Muhammad Habash, confirmed today that his country was actively preparing for war with Israel, expected to break out in the summer, Israel Radio reported. Former Iranian President Rafsanjani has also predicted war in the Middle East this summer. And both Jordan and Saudi Arabia are actively preparing as well.

IDF Intelligence Research Chief Confirms Hizballah Is Rebuilding Strongholds South Of Litani And Preparing For A Summer War

If war does break out, Hizballah will be there in force having been restored to its full capabilities by Iran and Syria. The Litani River is the boundary below which Hizballah is forbidden to operate, but they're currently working right under the noses of the UN forces in violation of the UN cease fire resolution. Some think that Syria will order Hizballah to move directly against the UN forces next. The IDF (Israel Defense Force) says it's ready for any contingency on its northern border and can switch from defensive to offensive posture on a moment's notice.

Ahmadinijad’s Bluster Boosted By Secret Deal For North Korean Taep’o-Dong-2 Ballistic Missiles

Delivery to Iran has been promised for late July to early August 2007. With a 3500-4000 KM range the acquisition of these missiles will triple the Iranian long-range missile arsenal and improve both range and accuracy, putting Eastern European and Israeli cities and regional US military installations well within range.

Putin Threatens To Aim ICBM's At Europe To Counter US Anti-Iran Missile Shield

Although the installations are purely defensive and pose no threat to anyone, Russian President Putin is making a huge fuss over them by threatening European capitals. He's trying to scare the Europeans into forcing the US into abandoning the project. Europe may have to decide whose missiles they want aimed at them, Russia's or Iran's.

Document: Iran Caught Red-Handed Shipping Arms to Taliban - ABC News

NATO officials say they have caught Iran red-handed, shipping heavy arms, C4 explosives and advanced roadside bombs to the Taliban for use against NATO forces, in what the officials say is a dramatic escalation of Iran's proxy war against the United States and Great Britain.

And for those of you wondering how the prophecies calling for the End Times destruction of Babylon could possibly refer to that ancient city in Iraq …

Want Middle East Stability? Move UN to Babylon - Washington Post

Two journalists, writing for the Washington Post, have proposed this idea. "While moving the U.N. headquarters to Venezuela or Iran is probably not wise," they write, "Moving it to Iraq might be a strategic coup. There is even a ready-made location for it-Saddam Hussein’s 600-room palace and compound constructed over the remains of the ancient city of Babylon. Americans might even consider footing the bill for the relocation."

In this proposal they make the claim that moving the UN out of America would make many people around the world a lot happier as it would be seen as less of a pawn of the US, and putting it in Babylon could help to create and maintain peace in Iraq. Here's an idea whose time has come.

Not since the war of 1967 have so many different countries been talking about and preparing for war. While I don't see the Battle of Ezekiel in all of this, the summer of 2007 could well see the final pieces of the puzzle falling into place. Turkey and Iran have a common interest in seeing the Kurds contained and it could be strong enough to pull Turkey into the Moslem coalition. If Syria promises peace for the return of the Golan, and the Palestinians trade peace for the West Bank, there could be a change of circumstances in the Middle East as dramatic as the "sudden" collapse of the Soviet Union. The fact that it will all be built on a foundation of lies and deceit will escape most peoples' notice. Better stay alert.
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[bold, italics, and red mine]

Bible Version used: NASB New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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HUGE HAT TIP: Prophetic Signs

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Mat 16:13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?"

Mat 16:14 So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."


Mat 16:15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
Mat 16:16 Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."


Mat 16:17 Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

Mat 16:18 "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.


Mat 16:19 "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed[fn3] in heaven."


Just noticed something.

In Matthew 16:4, Jesus mentioned that "the sign of the prophet Jonah" shall be given to "a wicked and adulterous generation" (sounds like NOW!) We know that the experience of Jonah inside the whale was a foreshadowing of Christ's death, burial, and subsequent resurrection to life on the third day.

How ironic that it was Simon Bar-Jonah who was given the knowledge from the Father that Jesus is the Christ; the Son of the Living God!


Mat 16:4
"A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet[fn1] Jonah." And He left them and departed.

16:4 NU-Text omits the prophet.

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

"Robert Schuller to 'rethink' Christianity into New Age?"

Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, Calif., Jan. 17-19. A New World Order; George H.W. Bush, Chuck Colson, Larry King, Rupert Murdoch, Ben Stein, Kay Warren, wife of Saddleback Church mega-pastor Rick Warren, will join Robert Schuller, the white-haired, bespectacled purveyor of "possibility thinking." What could such a diverse group have in common?

read more digg story

Lo and behold who is leading the pack of heretics??!!!

Rick Warren's wife!

Robert Schuller and his Tower of Babel "Crystal Cathedral" hasn't fooled Biblical-based-and-teaching Christians for all these years, so that's no surprise.

However, I am extremely disappointed and sorrowful that certain people listed in this story are heading towards heresy and apostasy!

1. Lee Strobel?
2. Jay Sekulow?
3. Gary Smalley?
...well, actually that's not really very surprising.

I usually like to quote the KJV or the NKJV of the book of Jude, but just for today let's share what the NLT says:




Jud 1:1 This letter is from Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James. I am writing to all who are called to live in the love of God the Father and the care of Jesus Christ.

Jud 1:2 May you receive more and more of God's mercy, peace, and love.

Jud 1:3 Dearly loved friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the truth of the Good News.[fn1] God gave this unchanging truth once for all time to his holy people.

Jud 1:4 I say this because some godless people have wormed their way in among you, saying that God's forgiveness allows us to live immoral lives. The fate of such people was determined long ago, for they have turned against our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Jud 1:5 I must remind you-and you know it well-that even though the Lord[fn2] rescued the whole nation of Israel from Egypt, he later destroyed every one of those who did not remain faithful.

Jud 1:6 And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the day of judgment.

Jud 1:7 And don't forget the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with sexual immorality and every kind of sexual perversion. Those cities were destroyed by fire and are a warning of the eternal fire that will punish all who are evil.

Jud 1:8 Yet these false teachers, who claim authority from their dreams, live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at the power of the glorious ones.[fn3]

Jud 1:9 But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse Satan of blasphemy, but simply said, "The Lord rebuke you." (This took place when Michael was arguing with Satan about Moses' body.)

Jud 1:10 But these people mock and curse the things they do not understand. Like animals, they do whatever their instincts tell them, and they bring about their own destruction.

Jud 1:11 How terrible it will be for them! For they follow the evil example of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they will do anything for money. And like Korah, they will perish because of their rebellion.

Jud 1:12 When these people join you in fellowship meals celebrating the love of the Lord, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you.[fn4] They are shameless in the way they care only about themselves. They are like clouds blowing over dry land without giving rain, promising much but producing nothing. They are like trees without fruit at harvesttime. They are not only dead but doubly dead, for they have been pulled out by the roots.

Jud 1:13 They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the dirty foam of their shameful deeds. They are wandering stars, heading for everlasting gloom and darkness.

Jud 1:14 Now Enoch, who lived seven generations after Adam, prophesied about these people. He said, "Look, the Lord is coming with thousands of his holy ones.

Jud 1:15 He will bring the people of the world to judgment. He will convict the ungodly of all the evil things they have done in rebellion and of all the insults that godless sinners have spoken against him."[fn5]

Jud 1:16 These people are grumblers and complainers, doing whatever evil they feel like. They are loudmouthed braggarts, and they flatter others to get favors in return.

Jud 1:17 But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ told you,

Jud 1:18 that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to enjoy themselves in every evil way imaginable.

Jud 1:19 Now they are here, and they are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They live by natural instinct because they do not have God's Spirit living in them.

Jud 1:20 But you, dear friends, must continue to build your lives on the foundation of your holy faith. And continue to pray as you are directed by the Holy Spirit.[fn6]

Jud 1:21 Live in such a way that God's love can bless you as you wait for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy is going to give you.

Jud 1:22 Show mercy to those whose faith is wavering.

Jud 1:23 Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. There are still others to whom you need to show mercy, but be careful that you aren't contaminated by their sins.[fn7]

Jud 1:24 And now, all glory to God, who is able to keep you from stumbling, and who will bring you into his glorious presence innocent of sin and with great joy.

Jud 1:25 All glory to him, who alone is God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Yes, glory, majesty, power, and authority belong to him, in the beginning, now, and forevermore. Amen.


Footnotes:
1:3 Greek to contend for the faith.
1:5 Some manuscripts read Jesus.
1:8 The glorious ones are probably evil angels.
1:12 Or they are contaminants among you, or they are stains.
1:14-15 The quotation comes from the Apocrypha: Enoch 1:9.
1:20 Greek Pray in the Holy Spirit.
1:23 Greek mercy, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

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Related posts:

The Times of the Signs - The Falling Away

Greg Laurie makes Bible 'resonate' Pastor reaches millions, challenges believers to get off the fence

The Religion of the Future - Now Here?

As One Watchman


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Hey Look! My blog got noticed today!

Blog of the Day Award

Sunday, October 28, 2007

When God's Children Ask for the Spirit

When I heard that several of the California Wildfires were started by arsonists, I wondered how could anyone do such a horrible thing! How could anyone be so evil!!

I listened to several psychiatrists who appeared on Fox News. They listed three psychiatric reasons why someone would do such a horrible act. On top of these reasons shared, it is common for such people to not even be remorseful at all.

The three reasons are just a blur of excuses to me. I noticed that not one person evaluating the mindset of such people could bring themselves to say, "they are evil."

Why is that?

Why is there such an aversion to calling what is blatantly evil...evil?

Is it because it's not a "politically correct" term these days?

Is it because the buzzword of "tolerance" should be applied to even the worst of the worst offenders of humankind?

Is it because the word is a biblical one?

Perhaps a combination of all three?

While I was thinking about the term "evil" today, the Bible verse in Luke 11:13 was brought back to my mind. Jesus is speaking:


Luk 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall [your] heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Matthew Henry's commentary on Luke 11:1-13 is quite thorough and I encourage you to read it all. Here is the portion of the commentary that discusses Luke 11:13 -


2. An application of this to the blessings of our heavenly Father (v. 13): If ye then, being evil, give, and know how to give, good gifts to your children, much more shall God give you the Spirit. He shall give good things; so it is in Matthew. Observe,

(1.) The direction he gives us what to pray for. We must ask for the Holy Spirit, not only a necessary in order to our praying well, but as inclusive of all the good things we are to pray for; we need no more to make us happy, for the Spirit is the worker of spiritual life, and the earnest of eternal life. Note, The gift of the Holy Ghost is a gift we are every one of us concerned earnestly and constantly to pray for.

(2.) The encouragement he gives us to hope that we shall speed in this prayer: Your heavenly Father will give. It is in his power to give the Spirit; he has all good things to bestow, wrapped up in that one; but that is not all, it is in his promise, the gift of the Holy Ghost is in the covenant, Acts 1:33, 38, and it is here inferred from parents’ readiness to supply their children’s needs, and gratify their desires, when they are natural and proper. If the child ask for a serpent, or a scorpion, the father, in kindness, will deny him, but not if he ask for what is needful, and will be nourishing. When God’s children ask for the Spirit, they do, in effect, ask for bread; for the Spirit is the staff of life; nay, he is the Author of the soul’s life. If our earthly parents, though evil, be yet so kind, if they, though weak, be yet so knowing, that they not only give, but give with discretion, give what is best, in the best manner and time, much more will our heavenly Father, who infinitely excels the fathers of our flesh both in wisdom and goodness, give us his Holy Spirit. If earthly parents be willing to lay out for the education of their children, to whom they design to leave their estates, much more will our heavenly Father give the spirit of sons to all those whom he has predestinated to the inheritance of sons.
(bold mine)

Notice of whom Jesus is speaking when he states, "If ye then, being evil..."

Who was his audience?

He was speaking to his disciples!

We all are guilty of "being evil."

Why?

Because when Adam and Eve sinned, they brought evil into their fleshly nature and thus, passed it on to every living soul since. Holy and Righteous God cannot reside in the hearts of sinful, evil people. So, since we are all guilty of being evil, how can we be reconciled back unto God?

The Gospel of Jesus Christ achieves this. Jesus said, "you must be born again."

We are born again in Christ when we die to sin as he died for our sins on the cross and are resurrected from the death (caused by sin) to life, just as Jesus was resurrected from the dead to life (while taking our punishment on the cross for our sins.)

How did he accomplish this?

Through the power of the Holy Spirit! This is why Jesus' death at the cross was necessary...for our salvation. There was no other way.

If you clicked on through to the other links in my last blogpost (Pays to be a Squeaky Wheel), you would have read an excellent commentary written by Christian Apologist Greg Koukl in 2005. I think that his commentary explains the correlation between why God allows evil in the world, for now, and why removal of all evil would mean the removal of each and every one of us with no hope for salvation!!

It may sound like an unsolvable paradox to some, but the truth is that God's mercy and love for us makes it necessary to allow us to reside within this fallen world filled with sin and evil for a time. It is called the age of forgiveness, mercy and grace. But, it won't last forever.

Read Greg Koukl's article and see if you find yourselves understanding much more clearly why it is God's mercy, grace and love for us that allows evil to exist for a time and how forgiveness, for our sakes, could only be accomplished through Christ's death at the cross. Then, read this verse again:

Jhn 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

And this one:

1Jo 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Greg Koukl's article:



People Asked, "Where was God?"
Where was God when the recent hurricanes struck the Gulf Coast? Did He “evacuate?”


The photographs alone told the story. Boats jackstrawed like bathtub toys. Buildings ripped from their foundations. Corpses mingled with debris, bobbing in the tide. A little boy, head pulled low in sorrow, teddy bear at his feet. Katrina. “Our tsunami,” as one person put it.

Time will pass on this tragedy, as it has since 9/11, and since the events of April 20, 1999, when the lives of fourteen teenagers were extinguished at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. But in one sense these things will never be old news. The question on the lips of so many is an age old query:

“Where was God?”

ONE WRONG ANSWER

One answer is not going to work: The picture of a broken-hearted God, victimized, agonizing over events out of His control.

This “finite God” view is Rabbi Harold Kushner’s answer in Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People? Evil is bigger than God whose hands are tied by the laws of nature and the will of man. Limited in power and perfection, He weeps with us at a world out of control.

According to Kushner, this should bring us comfort. “God, who neither causes nor prevents tragedies, helps by inspiring people to help,” he writes.1

Clearly, the God Kushner has in mind is not the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the One who brought the universe into existence with a single thought. This is not the God of the Exodus and the empty tomb. A God equally victimized by the march of evil may commiserate with other victims, but He cannot inspire or rescue. He is not worthy of praise, prayer, or trust. Nor is there any real comfort to be gained from one so impotent.

ANOTHER WRONG ANSWER

But what alternative is there? How can anyone believe in God in the wake of the kind of devastation and suffering wrought by Katrina and Rita? The great 20th Century British philosopher and atheist Bertrand Russell wondered how anyone could talk of God while kneeling at the bed of a dying child. It is a powerful image. Like the three-word sound byte “Where was God?” it strikes many Christians dumb. How can anyone cling to the hope of a benevolent, powerful sovereign in the face of such tragedy?

They might consider Christian philosopher William Lane Craig’s response:

What is the atheist Bertrand Russell going to say to that dying child – or to thousands of dead or homeless in Katrina’s wake, or to the parents of 14 murdered highschoolers in Colorado, for that matter? Too bad? Tough luck? That’s the way it goes? No happy ending, no silver lining, nothing but devastating, tragic, senseless evil?

No, that also won’t work for a very important reason. In a world bereft of God, there are many ways to characterize hurricane Katrina, the devastation of 9/11, or the killings at Columbine High: unpleasant, sad, painful, even ghastly.

Yet if God doesn’t exist, the one thing we can never do is call such human destruction tragic, or wanton murder wicked. If in virtue of these tragedies one concludes God doesn’t exist, then the carnage ceases to be tragic at all, if by that word we mean a genuine breach of goodness.

Judgments like these require some transcendent reference point, some way of keeping score. Words like “evil” or “tragic” are parasitic on a standard of moral perfection. C.S. Lewis pointed out that a portrait is a good or bad likeness depending on how it compares with the “perfect” original. But if there is no standard, then there is no “good” or “bad.”

“My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust,” Lewis reasoned. “But how had I gotten this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call something crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust?....”2

Evil is spoiled goodness. That’s Lewis’s point. We already know this. Note the words we use to describe it: unrighteousness, immorality, impurity. Evil depends on the good. Where does such goodness come from, though?

This point was explored in the movie, “The Quarrel.”3 The main characters, Hersh and Chiam, were boyhood friends who separated in a dispute over God and evil. Then came the Holocaust; each thought the other had perished. After the war, they reunite by chance and immediately become embroiled once again in their boyhood quarrel.

Hersh, now a rabbi, offers this challenge to the secularist Chiam:

If there's nothing in the universe that's higher than human beings, then what's morality? Well, it’s a matter of opinion. I like milk; you like meat. Hitler likes to kill people; I like to save them. Who’s to say which is better?

Do you begin to see the horror of this? If there is no Master of the universe, then who’s to say that Hitler did anything wrong? If there is no God, then the people that murdered your wife and kids did nothing wrong.

If there is no God, it’s hard to even begin making sense of the notions of evil or moral tragedy. The events that trouble us are reduced to mere “stuff ” that happens. There are different kinds of “stuff,” to be sure, some we like (Mother Teresa), and some we don’t (Katrina & Rita), but in a universe bereft of God it’s all reduced to “stuff ” in the end.

But we know better. Words like “wicked,” “tragic,” and “evil” are on the lips of everyone constantly. We cannot describe the events in New Orleans in August, 2005 without them.

But the questions remain: Why didn’t God intervene? Why is He inactive – apparently impotent – when He could restrain both the winds and the wicked? This protest rings hollow, though, because we don’t really want God to end evil, not all of it.

PICKING AND CHOOSING
OUR MORAL TRAGEDIES

Why does this question come up only with magnum tragedies – like hurricane Katrina or the Littleton massacre – or when we are personally stunned by deadly disease or financial ruin? What about the enormous mass of evil that slips by us every day unnoticed and unlamented because we are the perpetrators of the evil, not its victims?

On August 30, 2005 – the same day that the failure of the first two levees submerged some New Orleans neighborhoods under 20 feet water – I wonder how many Americans were committing adultery around the country? What of the cumulative effect of the personal pain and destruction that resulted from all those individual acts of sin?

What of the unplanned pregnancies (and subsequent abortions), the sexually transmitted diseases, the shame and embarrassment?

On August 30, a day that left so many homeless in the Gulf states, what of the children whose homes were broken through marriages destroyed by infidelity? What of the severed trust, the emotional wounding, the sting of betrayal, the shattered families? What of the traumatized children cast emotionally adrift, destined as adults to act out the anguish of this disloyalty?

One careless act of unfaithfulness leaves in its wake decades of pain and destruction and often generations of brokenness. And – to be sure – this evil was multiplied thousands of times over on the same day the levees broke in Louisiana.

I saw no outcry, though, no moral indignation in the local papers or national news because God permitted this evil. Why not? Because we don’t complain when evil makes us feel better, only when it makes us feel bad.

If the truth were known, we do not judge disasters based on unprejudiced moral assessment, but rather on what is painful, awkward, or inconvenient to us. We don’t ask, “Where is God?” when another’s pain brings us profit instead of loss.

We don’t want God sniffing around the dark recesses of our own evil conduct. Instead, we fight intervention. We don’t really want Him stopping us from hurting others. We only cry “foul” when He doesn’t stop others from hurting us.

The problem of evil is much bigger than hundreds of drowned people or thousands of homeless. It includes all the ordinary corruptions that please us, the hundreds of small vices you and I approve of every day. It entails not only what offends us, but what offends God.

The answer to the question “Why doesn’t God stop the evil?” is the same answer to the question, “Why doesn’t God stop me every time I do wrong?” There is a virtuous quality to human moral choice that both dignifies us and makes serious evil possible.

The rules God applies to a serial killer are the same rules He applies to you. If you want God to clean up evil, He might just say, “Okay, let’s start with you.” If you want Him to stop murderers, then you have to be just as willing to let Him stop you every time you do what is evil by His standards. And that covers a lot of ground. Most people won’t sit still for that.

Sometimes the consequences of our evil actions are longlived. It’s hard to know how much has been spoiled by man’s initial rebellion. However, the prophecy that Adam would now encounter thorns and thistles is suggestive (Genesis 3:18). Ever since man has ventured forth from Eden, the world has been a dangerous place. All the forces of nature are wonderful things in their right place, but ominous foes in a world twisted by sin.

WHAT SHOULD GOD DO?

When people ask “Where was God?” I ask “What precisely do you expect God to do? If you were in His place, what would you do?” If you would use your power to stop evil, would you punish it or prevent it? Either choice presents you with problems.

One reason God doesn’t wipe out all evil immediately is that the alternative would be worse for us. This becomes evident by asking a simple question: If God heard your prayer to eliminate evil and destroyed it all at midnight tonight, where would you be at 12:01?

The discomfiting reality is that evil deeds can never be isolated from the evil doer. Our prints are on the smoking gun. Each one of us is guilty in some capacity, and we know it. That’s the problem.

While reading on the Littleton shooting several years ago, I stumbled upon a refreshing bit of honesty and moral clarity by John Hewitt in a piece entitled “Seeking to Make Sense Where There Is None.” Hewitt wrote:

"We would rather think of bad acts as the unfortunate consequences of discoverable and remedial social and personal conditions. Yet it is precisely the account we do not wish to believe that may best capture what happened in Littleton. The two dead members of the “Trenchcoat Mafia,” together with their fellows, may simply have chosen evil in circumstances where others choose to play football or to crave membership in the National Honor Society."4 [emphasis added]

Any judicial action God would take today would pin us all under the gavel. When God wipes out evil, He’s going to do a complete job. C. S. Lewis soberly observed, “I wonder whether people who ask God to interfere openly and directly in our world quite realize what it will be like when He does....When the author walks on the stage the play is over.”5

No, God hasn’t banished evil from His kingdom – yet. The Bible describes a time when God will wipe away every tear and repair the effects of evil on the world. Men will no longer endure the ravages of wickedness or be victimized by bouts with nature. And no one will ever ask the question, “Where was God?”

Until then, God has chosen a different strategy, a better plan, one that’s moral on a higher level. It’s a plan that ultimately deals with evil, but allows room for mercy as well. It’s called forgiveness.

THE PATIENCE OF GOD

God is waiting. Patience, not lack of goodness or lack of ability, stays God’s hand from writing the last chapter of human history. “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness,” Peter reminds us, “but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). God is patiently waiting for us to turn to Him.

Suffering, tragedy, and profligate evil now function as warning signals. Like the ache of a limb out of joint, the pain of living in a broken world tells us that something is amiss. If God took away the pain, we’d never deal with the disease. And the disease will kill us, sooner or later.


Why doesn’t God do something about evil? God has done something, the most profound thing imaginable. He has sent His Son to die for evil men. Because we are ultimately the source of evil, God would be entirely justified in punishing us. Yet He chose instead to exercise mercy. He took the punishment due you and I and poured it out on His Son, Jesus, so He could offer forgiveness to anyone who asks.

God is not the author of evil. Neither is He incapable of responding nor unwilling to act. But His remedy for evil is not impulsive. He doesn’t obliterate us, the offenders, with one angry blow. Instead He waits.

Bertrand Russell had nothing to say while kneeling at the bed of a dying child. He could have spoken of the patience and mercy of God. He ought to have mentioned the future perfection that awaits all who trust in Christ.

He might have remembered that a redemptive God “causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). He should have considered the Gospel, the only source of hope for a broken world.

But Russell could not. As an atheist he had surrendered those resources. We can do better.

Our dilemma should not be why God allows evil. Instead, our wonder should be why He would pay such an incredible price to rescue us at all when we have rebelled so completely against Him.

When this reality grabs our hearts, we will get down on our knees and ask forgiveness instead of criticizing God for not doing enough.

Your partner for the truth,

Gregory Koukl
President, Stand to Reason


1 Rabbi Harold Kushner, When Bad Things Happen to Good People (New York: Schocken, 1981), 140, quoted in Norman Geisler and William
Watkins, Worlds Apart (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1989), 203.

2 C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: Macmillan, 1952), 31.

3 “The Quarrel,” directed by Eli Cohen, released 1992.

4 John P. Hewitt, “Seeking to Make Sense Where There Is None,”
Los Angeles Times, April 23, 1999, sec. B, 7.

5 Lewis, 66.


Solid Ground © Gregory Koukl Stand to Reason 1438 East 33rd St. Signal Hill, CA 90755 1-800-2-REASON www.str.org standtoreason@str.org
solid ground solid ground from Stand to Reason
November/December 2005


This letter may be reproduced or forwarded via e-mail without change and in its entirety for non-commercial purposes without prior permission from Stand to Reason. ©2005 Gregory Koukl




Pays to be A Squeaky Wheel

I wrote an email letter to both the general Fox News comments address as well as to John Gibson of "The Big Story" T.V. news show, complaining that my California wildfire opinion posts were ignored.

I am pleased to report that three of the posts have now appeared in the comment section of "Your Blog."

Sometimes, it pays to be the squeaky wheel...

On a positive note, I found an article that helps explain why several of our friends and co-workers' homes were spared while other communities around them were ravaged by the fires.

Exclusive homes emerge unscathed as fire-protection concept is tested.

Now that the "shelter in place" program has been tested and found to work, it should be utilized for all new home building in southern California.

Unfortunately, southern California is not completely "out of the woods yet" when it comes to these devasting fires.

Continued prayers are needed. The fires are not completely extinguished and are still threatening many homes.

Yesterday, a few rain clouds showed up in the area and huge drops of rain fell, helping to clear the polluted air a bit. However, it was not nearly enough. The conditions did help the firefighters make a lot of progress against the fires still raging in the area. However, the severely dry conditions appear to have returned which worries a lot of officials and residents whose homes are still in the dangerous path of the fires.

Yesterday, the air quality was much better and I didn't feel the need to wear a filter mask. This morning is a completely different story. When I took my dogs outside briefly, the smoky air was, once again, stifling. I now wear my mask whenever I go outside. I am beginning to think that indoor air purifiers might be a good investment.

Speaking of purifying, I think that it is not only the air in California that needs it, but the legislature and Governor who would pass such hideously evil laws designed to indoctrinate even the youngest of public school children into aberrent and sinful sexual behaviors...


I was quite surprised to see this comment posted over at the open Fox News wildfires blog:



Comment by Jerry Hebel
October 27th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
I feel for the people and pray for them …
Last week Arnold passes a law doing away with Father and Mother and to promote Sodomy
Sodomy was once illegal in USA. Unbelivers changed the law of our founding fathers.
There are Bible verse that tell us - God will answer when we turn our backs on him.
The LORD GOD who is in control answered this once Christian Nation for rejecting His laws.
(link to post added)

Inevitably, people have already been comparing this wildfire disaster with the devastation done in New Orleans and Mississippi due to Hurricane Katrina.

Back when hurricane Katrina happened, I wrote several posts and added links to articles that created a combination of agreement from some Christians, and absolute outrage amongst several other people who read at this blog.

1. As Sorrow Permeates Your Being

2. The Meaning of Katrina: A Sign?

3. People Asked: "Where Was God?"

4. A Big Lesson for 2005

5. Times of the Signs - The Days of Lot

Is all of this just a coincidence?

You are free to decide for yourselves...

Saturday, October 27, 2007

Wildfires Update #4

Here is a San Diego Wildfires 2007 blog where you can read all about what has been happening over the past several days.

Also, the following link provides a slide show of the Rock Church's Rock Relief and serves as just one example of how Christian believers in San Diego have come together for the sake of all the people who have been saddened and displaced due to these terrible fires.

This devastating firestorm has been heart wrenching for everyone. It has caused such severe heartache for all the people and families who have lost their homes.

However, God can, and does, turn what was meant for evil into good!

I think that you will find the slide show at the above link encouraging and heart warming.

People coming together to serve others...in the name of Jesus Christ.

The Reality of "Choice."

Facing Reality: Choice is an important documentary on the issue of abortion. I think that everyone needs to see it.

Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust

The amount of babies killed by abortion since January 22, 1973 up until today, October 27, 2007 at 9:10 a.m. Pacific Time is:

51,209,073

When you click on the link, see how many more baby deaths have been tragically added to this devastatingly enormous number in America's abortion HOLOCAUST!!!

Anti-Christian Bias and Censorship

I waited for two days to see if perhaps I was being too hasty in my judgment. I waited two days to see if one or more might be posted. This morning, I posted one more comment just in case it was some sort of technical error.

Nope. Can't be that!

If you are wondering what this post is all about, it's about censorship. My Christian comments have been censored at the Fox News Channel "Your Blog on the Southern California Wildfires."

Note the criteria that is stated there for getting a comment denied:


FOXNews.com invites you to comment on the historic and devastating Southern California wildfires.

Please keep your comments brief and relevant. All comments are subject to review by FOXNews.com. Inappropriate posts will be removed.


My first post (yesterday) contained a portion of this post.

My second post eliminated the Bible verses.

My third post included a link to my blog.

My fourth post eliminated the link to my blog, and simply stated:


It is my continuing prayer that those who do not know the gospel will be turned towards the Lord through this disaster. What Satan has meant for evil, God can turn towards good.

Nothing else compares in this life to knowing Jesus Christ and realizing his promise of eternal life in Him.

Jesus is our Savior, Lord, and King, and no matter what happens in this fallen world, His love needs to be shed abroad in our hearts and in our world - now.


Now, why would such a message of hope be censored?

Perhaps the following comment there (which, of course, was not censored in any way) will give us a clue:


Comment by John Painer
October 26th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
1. Prayers do no good; God doesn’t care about fires and where they occur.

2. As long as developers pay off city councils to construct high density housing there will always be a high chance of disasters like this. You don’t have problems like this where there is a large buffer zone between communities like in Germany.

3. When you buy a house in a high risk area of floods, earthquakes, tornados, fires, hurricanes, etc. then you have no one to blame but yourself if a disaster occurs. It’s like buying a house from a developer over a waste dump and then developing a serious disease. Sue the developer, the city council, and the realtor for allowing the person to buy the house.


Hmmmm...a post that insults God, claims that "prayers do no good" (and how on earth would HE KNOW THIS????), and that "God doesn't care about fires and where they occur" is posted, not flagged, and not deemed inappropriate by the editor. Yet, my posts are all denied.

Censorship anyone?

Anti-Christian bias anyone?

Atheistic promotion?

Religious bias?

Perhaps you are thinking...Ah! What the heck. It's only a minor slight towards one Christian writer.

No. I think the rabbit hole on this issue goes far deeper when it comes to the mainstream media.

Fox News should be ashamed of the editor in charge of that so-called "public" blog. It's more like a "join us in our censorship" blog.

Friday, October 26, 2007

What Botched Altar Calls can Teach Us

Even though The Way of the Master website labels the following article, How to Botch an Altar Call, there are several other labels that one could come up with to describe the warnings within the article.

For example:

1. How To Spot and Avoid a Liberal Christian Church.

2. Avoiding the Emergent Church Errors.

3. What a gay christian movement Church Would Do.

4. How to Spot Heresy and Apostasy in an Altar Call.

5. How Satan Would Conduct an Altar Call.

6. (place your suggestion in the comment section and I will add it here.)

I'm sure that many visiting "politically correct" individuals won't like this post.

I say, so what!

Salvation is not a popularity subject!

Jesus was never a politically correct God-man. So, as His follower, I won't succomb to the temptation encouraged by others to be a politically correct Christian woman.

When I read this article, the differences between genuine, orthodox, evangelical, Bible-believing and teaching, Gospel of Christ focused, salvation at the cross of Christ preaching - Christianity; and the types of churches that preach a false, deceptive, Bible truth rejecting, prideful, self-serving, fleshly desires embracing and true-gospel-ignoring kind of christianity becomes absolutely crystal clear!!

What should we do? What are we to make of those who preach error, heresy and apostasy?

We are called by God Himself through His Living Word of Truth- Jesus Christ, and His Holy Written Word of Truth - The Bible to not only avoid all of the errors within the article below; but also to expose them!!

It's truly eye-opening!!

I hope that you not only read them, but recognize and expose such errors to those whom you know are not genuinely walking with Christ. Apply these warning in your own life and let them be warning signals in your own walk with Christ. Examine your current church and its teachings, too. Your spiritual destiny and eternal life may be at stake.

Genuine salvation through repentance at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ, as well as Christ's admonition that, "you must be born again" is revealed through God's Word, the Bible. It is the essential doctrine for sinful man's reconciliation back unto God the Father, who is THE Holy and Righteous Judge of the universe and is to be praised forever. Amen!!

Christine

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How to Botch an Altar Call

(A few keys for those who don't want people saved in their altar calls)

1. Present an unbalanced message. Only let them see the heart-warming part of God’s character. Preach God’s love but leave out His holiness and justice. That way they’ll think He’ll let them into heaven no matter what.

2. Don’t mention repentance until they’re repeating a “sinner’s prayer.” Just get them to say, “I repent of all my sins” while they’re echoing you. They won’t know what they’re saying and they won’t count the cost.

3. Above all else, be dignified. Don’t get heart to heart with the people. They would get something out of what you said.

4. Skim over the gospel and push the prayer. Pretend the lost naturally understand what Christ has done for them.

5. Preach Jesus as a life enhancer not a life rescuer. Tell them how Jesus can improve their life but don’t show them Jesus as the only One who can save them from Hell. People will think if they reject Him they’re only losing out on a spiritual high.

6. Try to please the people instead of convert them. Tell them what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear.

7. Compromise the message to speed up the process. The Christians who have heard it a hundred times before will be pleased with that. The quicker they get out the quicker they can get to the restaurant.

8. Give them the impression that God is so good He won’t send anyone to hell. Don’t present the whole counsel of God or they might realize He is so good that He’ll see to it that justice is served and that all unrepentant sinners will be punished in the fire that is not quenched.

9. Speak to sinners as though they were saints. They’ll think they’re God’s children instead of the enemies of God they’ve made themselves into because of their sin. You’ll give them false assurance and mislead them.

10. Don’t mention sin or man’s guilt. Resist the urge to explain what Christ came to deliver us from. Don’t show them their need for the Savior. Otherwise it may all make sense.

11. Don’t look to the Bible for the substance of your altar call. Only mimic other preachers with large congregations.

12. Tell the lost not to feel bad about their sins. That way you will work against the Holy Spirit who’s convicting them

13. Whatever you do, never mention Judgment Day. Your audience might take spiritual matters seriously.

14. Tell them Jesus is the only way to heaven but don’t explain why. They may think it’s nothing more than fear tactics and leave offended instead of enlightened.

15. Confuse the call. This is a great way to botch up an altar call. Don’t let people know you’re asking them to commit their life to Christ. Be vague and general in what you’re saying. Neglect to mention following Christ in your evangelistic altar calls and say things like, “If you don’t feel you’re as close to God as possible raise your hand,” “If you feel lonely come to the front for prayer,” “If you want more of God this is your time,” and, “If you have struggles and need the answer come down.” Just get them to raise a hand. That way no one will be able to count the cost and you’ll even get saints to respond to salvation altar calls, making the results look more successful.

16. Only give them half the story. Tell them Jesus died to forgive everyone but overlook the fact that they must personally receive Him to partake of that forgiveness.

17. Present the truth as though it isn’t. Be so funny when you share Christ that you belittle the seriousness of the matter.

18. Preach forgiveness without repentance. That way no one will know how to be forgiven.

19. Be unbiblical. Present repentance and faith as an offer instead of how God does as a command (Acts 17:30).

20. Let them think next Sunday is the day of salvation. Don’t make them feel it’s urgent to respond today.

21. Never warn of hell. Dangle heaven in front of their nose but rarely mention hell, certainly not as much as Jesus did.

22. Only do altar calls inside the church. Never take the gospel where sinners congregate. The lost might get saved.

23. Use churchy terms. Use words like, “saved,” “repent,” and “born again,” without any explanation. That way your hearers won’t comprehend what you’re saying. If they can’t understand it, it’s probable they won’t be changed by it.

24. Give false assurance of salvation to unsaved Christians. Assure church folk that they are saved even if they bear no fruit. So that you don’t offend the unsaved pew warmers never quote 2 Corinthians 13:5: “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith.” You could lose some financial supporters and have to depend on God.

25. Never mention the wrath of God. If you mention it, people might be awakened to flee to Jesus who “saves us from the wrath to come.” ( 1 Thess. 1:10)

26. Study how the apostles preached and witnessed and do the opposite. Don’t explain Jesus’ suffering death on the cross. Otherwise they may think of running to Him for forgiveness. Don’t speak of His burial or resurrection or they might realize He is God. Refrain from commenting about the hundreds of eyewitnesses who saw Jesus after He rose from the dead. That way they can go on thinking He’s a fairy tale. Overlook talk of the messianic prophecies Jesus fulfilled or they might realize that the Bible is true. If they see it’s the truth they may see that following Christ is the logical decision. And whatever you do, avoid what the apostles did when it came time to call people to obey the gospel. Don’t tell them to trust Christ and live for Him. That is too accurate. If they know how to get saved your altar call will be a success.

27. Put more emphasis on the “sinner’s prayer” then on repentance and faith. Satan will smile over your departure from Biblical instruction. We are never taught to use a ‘sinner’s prayer’ throughout the entire Bible. If you decide to use it and put more emphasis on the technique than on what we’re commanded to preach: faith and repentance you’ll certainly botch things up. A ‘sinner’s prayer’ doesn’t equal salvation, only faith in Christ and repentance toward God do.

28. Let Christians think you’re the only one who can do it right. Always leave the impression that they should only invite friends to church and never actually witness themselves. It will keep you in business and the lost unsaved.

29. Don’t let the lost know they are. Disregard subjects like Judgment Day, God’s holiness, man’s sinfulness and justice. That way the lost can continue to think they’re “good enough” to get into heaven.

30. Rely upon psychological techniques to manipulate people into responding to the altar call. Don’t rely upon the Holy Spirit or they may actually get saved.

31. Make sure you’re the main attraction. Remember the goal in botching up an altar call is for people to leave and say, “What a wonderful preacher,” instead of, “What a wonderful Savior.” Draw all possible attention to how great a speaker and person you are. Otherwise people might see Christ in your preaching and get saved.

32. Don’t focus upon Jesus. Finally, the best way to botch up an altar call is not to preach the gospel. Just get people to lift up a hand and pray a prayer with you. Resist the urge to speak of the only One who could save them.

Sometimes the best way to get a point across is to put it in a different light. You now know a few ways to botch up an altar call. Please do not employ them. Do the opposite. You may already do some of them. Don’t let pride keep you from changing and doing things in a Biblical fashion. The bottom line is how true we are to Christ and His word. Effectively reaching the lost is our purpose. Let nothing hold you back from that agenda. May God bless you as you seek to win people to Christ in Bible clubs, churches, conferences, on the street witnessing encounters, at your school, and at your workplace.

Adapted from Becoming an Emissary for God by Allen Atzbi

© 2006 The Way of the Master. A Ministry of Living Waters Publications


HT: The Way of the Master found via Truth War Central

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Related post: The Most Dangerous Thing in the World

HT: Extreme Theology