We live in rapidly changing times. and times of change are times of chaos. I don;t think anyone would argue with that.
While terms like"Antichrist" are thrown around, usually in conjunction with a political figure, I finally realized that the unchurched and unsaved have no idea why some make these ridiculous pronouncements.The fact is. most Christian denominations are losing church members. Of particular concern is the rapidly dwindling Christian affiliated young adults.This is not the case with Judaism or Islam.. One bright spot in that picture is the black churches, as a group. Their membership is steady. http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/americas-changing-religious-landscape/ So the apostasy is within Christianity. While I do not agree with watering down the message, it is of concern that young people are turned off. Christianity does not feed you, pay for college or guarantee you the all-pleasure lifestyle without responsibility that is so highly esteemed in the "world" of western culture. Pronouncements on immigration, basic morality, especially about sex, just seem old fashioned and stupid to young people (as is did to us when we were young,frankly.) What is not being taught is prophecy. That much prophecy is fulfilled, and more is yet to be fulfilled. this milk toast Christianity which asserts this is the Kingdom of God;no, Jesus need not apply as King of Kings, no need for that...or that preppers, or Christians tapped by God, will lead people through The Tribulation (7 years; the last half being the Great Tribulation) instead of just, dying, which is what is predicted,) or just think things aren;t so bad in the world, are blinded to the beauty and comfort of the Word of God. We know there will be a last generation.We know we have thrown away the promises of being the World's leader in democracy, technology, finances, etc. We did come close, after the fall of the USSR. to being the only world power. And used that wealth and burgeoning technology for lives of hedonism and greed. Even Christians.To further divide ourselves by wealth, ethnicity, even how we view and engage in sex. As more and more people fall below the poverty line, some groups have huge campaigns to make their case special.To demand tax relief ( gay marriage) and specialized medical treatment on the taxpayers money (insurance companies are now being told they must pay for sex reassignment surgery;the military has legal responsibilities for medical care for transgenders as well..)Meanwhile loopholes in social security are being closed, food stamps are becoming more limited in scope. granted, there are not 47 million transgendered people, that;s how many are on food stamps. social security has over 65 million monthly recipients. or 74 million spent per month. https://www.ssa.gov/policy/docs/quickfacts/stat_snapshot/ ( transgendered people are listed as being less than a million, about 700,000. ) And as we are in the "bubble" of retirees from the baby boom, it will become much larger before decreasing.People also work for more years, meaning no relief in the labor markets unless we increase jobs being created. The jobs being created now are minimum wage or part time. the math does not work. The problem is, whenever the government is tax poor, they attack programs for the poor;the LGBT community is making sure they soak up benefits and shut down any opposition in order to grab their piece of the action. It has nothing to do with morality as people have been living in whatever sexual relationship situations they have wished for a number of years.It truly is a secular society. So why the need to shut up Christians? The same attacks do not occur against Muslims or Jews. Though there are attacks, but it goes to ethnicity, not morality. Jews are blamed for the Palestinian issue (we will bring that up again) and Muslims are all seen as terrorists. Just add that to the one percenters, now tying up so much of the wealth, the recent disclosures of how, on top of keeping more wealth , they have been hoarding in off shore accounts for decades.We are not talking about a restaurant with three people working which will close if wages are raised. We are talking multinational corporations, governments, and celebrities.When is enough enough? Where is the idea of social good in any of that? (oh that;s right,you kicked God out. You wanted humanism.you got what you wanted.Governments and bureaucracies almost always become corrupt.yet you trust them over your neighbors, your bosses, your families.) Thus the stage is set, with wars and terrorism spreading over the whole world, economic crisis, and immigrants creating crisis. the lie of open borders and free trade ( now circumscribed in trade agreements) creating a New America is just that, a lie.I just I don;t see much hope in politicians actually coming to grips with these issues.It could cost them their jobs, their entry into that one percent group Still think America is blessed? We have in essence turned our backs on Israel.the only people and land God ever had a covenant with.We have embraced multiculturalism, which does not work because there are no common values..We are a sinking ship. And I didn't;t even bring up the abortion thing.Let me put it in other terms. When women are no longer willing to raise their children, your culture is doomed.Turning abortion into a sacrament, which it is, a sacred cow, is anathema. You can't live as a society if you glory in death. Our military engagements only last as long as there is no pressure. This is true back to the Vietnam Conflict.A lot of money spent, a lot of lives lost or ruined. For poorer and poorer results.We abandon countries to whatever fate might be in store and count ourselves victors. Our new immigrants ( Hispanics could easily be incorporated as citizens, by the way) are a generation away from moving up the ladder and having a stake in the outcomes of politics and the like. All of this leads to the question, so what is coming next? well, for one thing, same old same old. Genesis 8:22 "While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease." Matthew 24;38-39" For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Business as usual. At least until the Tribulation, but even then, world commerce, raising crops, relationships, will all continue. So what are signals of the change? what are we to lookout for? 1 Thessalonians 5:3 "For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." More restrictions to keep us "safe" from terrorism or, as is popular now, microaggresions. No voices in protest. Just act like sheep and follow the rules. More attempts at devising a peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinians. More terrorism, more economic downturns.Possibly the Rapture of the believers in Jesus Christ. This is not about the Rapture, as it is a study in itself, But if millions of people disappear, and the world says, well we are better off without all those hateful people..look out.. But the actual signal is absolutely clear. Daniel 9:27 "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." ( A week in Daniel's vision is seven years) The Israeli government will sign..not a treaty, but a covenant with the Antichrist ( possibly a little known or unknown person until this moment.) They want a Temple; they will get it. They will build it. They will worship and sacrifice in it.( that's not going to make the Gaia folks and animal rights activists happy!) This directly flies in the face of the ONE they already have a covenant with, God. It launches the Antichrist into political rock star status. and he is the first judgement of the Tribulation.They will proclaim this man their Messiah. The verse before this talks about the anointed One being cut off for his people. (Jesus)This put history itself on hold, as far as the Jews were concerned. They had their Temple destroyed 40 years later, and were spread across the earth, usually in dire circumstances. John 5:43 "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive." Now a country again since 1948, they are called the worst human rights abusers in the world. That should stagger you..They are a nation again, they have been protected time and again,and yet the dialogue and violently hateful themes of both Nazism and Islam are applied to them daily They are a convenient scapegoat. And yet..the whole tribulation period is the fulfillment of scripture, to bring them back again, as a nation, a nation holy to God. Not just individuals, but a nation. If they don;t get the point that they made a mistake when the Antichrist turns on them 3 1/2 years after the covenant is signed;when he builds a statue to himself in the Temple, and usurps it for worship of himself ( Emperor worship. Popular as far back as Nebuchadnezzar, and with a number of Roman Caesars.) they will get it with the application of the mark to buy and sell,. Satan;s kingdom is based on aping and mocking the things of God. Jews since Exodus have used phylacteries ( a little box with scripture in it) as a memorial and remembrance Exodus 13:9 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD'S law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt. So when the New Kingdom says they must take a mark, many will know, it mutilates the very areas established by God as memorial spots. Revelation 13:16-1716 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his n A Jew continuing to wear a phylactery instead of a mark would be very very obvious.Many will have fled when the temple is appropriated. Those that don;t face an uncertain future. Which makes them a lovely enemy to pursue to cover up the increasingly stringent judgements coming from heaven.To continue the lie.That this is it, that the apex of human civilization has come. The Beast is like all the dictators who ever lived. As well, he wants the religious role of Messiah. He will receive a head wound and recover, his Prophet ( the false prophet) will lead worship to him. Anyone left who believes in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will be systemically murdered. It will be far worse than what is now seen in Apocalyptic Islam. And every human who has signed on for the Beast;s kingdom will cheer at the death, the blood,and feel justified. righteous.That they are winning against this unseen enemy who sends plagues and darkness and earthquakes.I don;t know what they will think when angels begin flying around the world preaching. But even that will not wake them up to the truth. Yet as this is about the Jews (and be extension, once again, to those who come to believe in Jesus Christ) It should be possible to look at the end of the story. In spite of nuclear weapons, massive forces, and supernatural powers, the Antichrist and his minion, the False Prophet, will be picked up like bad puppies and thrown in the Lake of Fire .Their patron and former God of the world, Satan, will be chained in darkness.His troops will be summarily destroyed by Jesus. the birds of the air will feast on their flesh.And Jesus will separate the sheep and the goats. Only the sheep will survive to repopulate the world.(those who will hear His voice.)His Kingdom will come to pass here on earth. Jews in Jerusalem again, will have dominion over their own land, a temple, and a right relationship with God, We of the Church will have duties too, and access to New Jerusalem as well (the heavenly city, not the earthly city) So..knowing the end of the story, who would you believe? This man of the Hour, or the God of the ages? . " . |
Faith and ReasonA grandma's perspective on a few things.. Archives
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