Prophetic update: Is the Great Deception here?

Some call it fake news. Jesus called it deception. When His disciples asked about the signs of the last days, Jesus began by giving His followers this warning: “Take heed that no one deceives you” (Matthew 24:4).

We live in an age of deception – fake news, false advertising, viral lies and click bait. The mainstream media perpetrate falsehoods regularly, as do various alternative media.

But one of the major sources of 21^st-century deception can be found in an unlikely place: our schools. For instance, the U.S. Department of Education urges all public schools to teach Islam.

It’s really just thinly veiled propaganda, though they would certainly not use that word. The DoE says schools should teach Islam “to create an anti-bias learning environment.”

Many regularly teach the religious doctrine that God and Allah are the same. Forget the “separation of church and state” arguments for the moment. This one teaching alone is a form of gross – and deadly – deception. And the deception is being inculcated in our malleable children, by order of the state!

In 2017, truth became even more subservient to political correctness. Isaiah 5:20 says, in part, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil …” Those words perfectly describe the pervasive spirit of deception that seems to have settled upon our world.

Another sign of the end times is an increase in the persecution of those who name the name of Jesus Christ.

Christianity Today reported, “For the third year in a row, the modern persecution of Christians worldwide has hit another record high.” Fox News said, “Nearly one in 12 Christians across the globe lives in an area where there is high-level persecution against members of the religion.”

A Yemeni man called “Sam” told CBN News: “Life for Christians in Yemen is very hard. For that matter, across the Middle East, there’s not a country where Christians are not suffering for their faith. This is our reality.”

But 2017 also found the persecution of Christians arise in unexpected places. Canada enacted Bill 89, which gives the state the power to take a child away from his or her parents if they do not agree that their child is transgender.

Jack Fonseca of Campaign Life Coalition warned: “[W]e’ve entered an era of totalitarian power by the state, such as never witnessed in Canada’s history. … Bill 89 is a grave threat to Christians and all people of faith.”

Even in America, it is becoming dangerous to be a Christian – especially one who is willing to take a stand for Judeo-Christian values. In 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court heard the case of Jack Phillips, the Colorado baker who declined to make a wedding cake for a homosexual couple. His story is a reminder that following Christ may soon harm a believer’s ability to hold a job or run his own business in a Western nation.

Over the last few decades, some Bible scholars have postulated that the “mark of the beast” might be a computer chip inserted under a person’s skin. The chip would serve as an identifier and repository of vast amounts of information about the individual.

From critical medical information to credit and banking information, the chip would guarantee security and convenience. It would also make possible an amazing Bible prophecy concerning the Antichrist’s partner, the False Prophet.

Revelation 13:16-17 foretells, “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 should be able to buy or sell, except the one who has the mark.”

In July of 2017, a company in Wisconsin implanted tiny computer chips into the hands of about 50 employee volunteers. These chips only allow them to open doors and buy snacks from vending machines without money. In other words, they’re to make things more convenient for the busy employees. It sounds harmless enough, but it portends more ominous possibilities in the future.

Last year, the New York Times called certain toys “the cyber security nightmares of 2017.” The paper was referring to the fact that more and more toys contain cameras and microphones that connect to the internet – and constantly gather data.

Today, toys spy on us. Cell phones spy on us. Televisions, cars and even refrigerators spy on us.

In 2017, TSA began using facial scans at some airports. In October, the liberal Slate magazine reported on legislation pending before Congress. It said, “… an alarming section of the bill would give… a green light to begin using biometrics to identify people in airports nationwide… right now there’s only one technology fit for a biometric surveillance system: automated, real-time face scans

Read it all: WND: Prophetic Update: Is The Great Deception Here?

I wanted to copy and paste more of the article, but my computer is acting up and I keep getting the message: “WND is not responding.” I think that such a message, in and of itself, is a deception being done by g00gle in order to keep readers from that conservative website. Or, maybe it is just my computer? (I received a Mac laptop for Christmas and am anxious to learn how to use it so that I don’t have to deal with these “Internet Explorer” problems anymore!)

I have read that conservative sites are often targeted with difficulties, bans, and even undeserved blocking to make their readership go down. Need an example? Here’s one:

Right Wing News: How Conservatives Are Being Destroyed by Facebook, Twitter and Google Without Even Realizing It

My little ole’ Talk wisdom blog, with only 93 followers and usual readership of anywhere from 20 – 50 viewers each day, isn’t a big threat so g00gle likely ignores this site. [There have been times where certain posts got 100’s of viewers, and in the case of the Stephen Paddock Las Vegas shooting post, my stats rose to the highest level ever; over 2,300 views!]

Back to the topic. Hopefully readers here will go to WND and read the entire article. I would like to cite some of the better comments left there.

1. USPatriotOne • 14 minutes ago

The Bible is very clear on what needs to happen before Jesus’s return and the birth pains this world will go through before his return. There are several birth pains from earthquake’s to weather to signs from space to man’s deceptions and lies against their fellow man/woman to the mark of the beast and on and on it goes..!!! Nearly all these signs have either already come into being or are in the process of manifesting into our very lives whether we want this to happen or not..!!! I never found the Bible (the word of God/Jesus/Holy Spirit) to be wrong in any shape or form. Yes Satan and his NWO/Deep State/DemoRats/Rino’s and Islam lie daily to “We the People” and the World at large that the Bible is wrong, but it’s all part of the great deception engulfing our planet, and yes Jesus is about to return, I believe, all the piece’s to God’s grand puzzle are nearly in place! Satan and his demonic followers know this and their end is NEAR! Praise be to the Lord Jesus Christ! Please Lord Jesus protect Prez Trump and VP Pence along with all Christians and Jews in America, Israel and around the world, I pray this in you most holy name our Lord and Savior “Jesus Christ”…Amen!

2. Al-Franki “el-da dhimmi” • 2 hours ago

Hal’s right, we’re pretty fully ‘decepted’ by now. I do remember his book from the 60’s warning us about end times. That was a long time ago he was telling us this…just remember, God’s ‘time’ is not ‘our’ time. It’s up to us to ‘see’ and heed the warnings no matter the time period.

3.
allpan • 12 hours ago
Great article, right on target. America has a poor teaching problem. We are # 36 out of 75 countries taking the international testing (PITA). We teach everything except the basics. Truly, our nation and others are facing the Judgment of God. There is so much disunity in the USA, violence, hatred and rejection of the Bible, we are truly in the last times. The Tribulation spoken of in the Bible is going to be a shocker to this world.

 

4. Watcher • 11 hours ago

“Today, toys spy on us. Cell phones spy on us. Televisions, cars and even refrigerators spy on us. In 2017, TSA began using facial scans at some airports. In October, the liberal Slate magazine reported on legislation pending before Congress. It said, “… an alarming section of the bill would give… a green light to begin using biometrics to identify people in airports nationwide… right now there’s only one technology fit for a biometric surveillance system: automated, real-time face scans.””

“in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man” (Dan. 7:8)

Cameras have eyes like the eyes of man.

Google: “comparing the human eye and a camera”

That bit of prophecy in Daniel 7:8 is telling us that there won’t be many places to hide from the kingdom of the Anti-Messiah, for camera eyes shall be virtually everywhere. That’s one of many ways in which his kingdom shall as much as possible mimic the coming kingdom of the true Messiah. If people understood that, they wouldn’t be off on a wild-goose chase looking for a Muslim Antichrist…

[Note from Christine: The camera comparison from commenter “Watcher” might be a bit off because the verse continues with, “and a mouth speaking great things.”    However, with the technology of today (and cameras everywhere!), it’s true that “there won’t be many places to hide” from the rule of the Antichrist. Here’s a graphic with a better illustration:

Since “allah” is a false god, IMHO, the Antichrist could be (most likely, secretively) muslim. I did find the Daniel 7:8 verse fascinating in the context of this discussion.]

End of Hal Lindsey’s article:

Why are people so upset with President Trump? Sure, he rubs some people the wrong way. He says unexpected and, sometimes, inappropriate things. He speaks – or tweets – when maybe he should stay silent.

But when you look beyond his bluster and just look at his actions and record, he’s mostly a moderate, right-of-center politician – not at all out of the mainstream.

I think the real reason so many people are obsessed with destroying President Trump can be found in his resistance to the New World Order.

In 2017, he refused to recertify the Iran nuclear deal. He formally recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. He pulled the United States out of the Paris Climate Accord. He’s renegotiating NAFTA. He put an end to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. He demanded that NATO members pay their own way. He called the United Nations to account and cut some of its funding. He got tough with the Palestinian Authority. He put the Muslim nations on notice that it’s their responsibility to confront and curb Islamic terrorism. And more.

In other words, he stood up to and fought the globalist elites who were on the brink of cementing their supra-national control of the entire world. And, believe it or not, by doing that and by seeking to return autonomy and sovereignty to the United States – and bring Judeo-Christian values back to the public square – President Trump may have complicated the build-up to the Antichrist’s one-world government.

And doing that guarantees him some terribly powerful enemies – including Satan himself.

That’s why, as we enter 2018, it is so critical that all believers follow Paul’s admonition: “I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

I would go a step further. I urge you to pray earnestly and daily specifically for our president and vice president. Pray that God will encourage them, give them wisdom and determination, and protect them as they stand in the gap for the America we know and love.

Some people consider the Trump Presidency as a type of reprieve from what is eventually going to come as a result of end times prophecy.  Of course, that would depend upon one’s political, social, and religious beliefs.  Those that hate President Trump [for whatever reason(s)] will likely NEVER see the good that he has accomplished in the first year of his presidency.

No matter what, keep praying people!

Hat tip: WorldNetDaily

Wherever pride is found, it is always hateful to God.

Perhaps some readers here have heard of the latest “prophecy” claim being made regarding the Second Coming of Christ.  Some are  predicting it to happen on September 23, 2017.  Geoffrey Grider over at “Now The End Begins” blog explains quite well (via Scripture) why such a prediction is false and cannot possibly happen.

See: Now The End Begins: False Prophecy Alert Called ‘Great Sign’ That’s Happening on September 23rd is 100% Not True.

Excerpt:

In order for September 23rd to “usher in the Second Coming,” you would have to cram into the next five (now, two days) days the Rapture of the Church, the rise of Antichrist, the Mark of the Beast and all other events of the 3.5 years of the time of Jacob’s trouble, otherwise known as The Great Tribulation. Chances of all of that happening in the next 5 days (now, 2 days)? Absolutely zero.

I read on another website that a “Christian numerologist” joined the bandwagon making a similar “prediction.”

I can see why people are panicked due to all of the hurricanes happening in a row over the past few weeks which are causing much devastation.  We also have seen the earthquake that happened in Mexico.  However, Jesus told us that such events would only be the “birth pangs.”

Rom 8:22

For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.

Reading the entire chapter of Romans 8 can help soothe our fears, especially the last two verses:

Rom 8:38

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,

Rom 8:39

nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It really helps to read, study, and know what the Bible teaches in order to not get caught up in false assumptions, false rhetoric, false pride, or false prophecy given by those who may just be in it for attention or to sell their books.

Habbakuk 2 speaks about the proud being rebuked and informs us:

Hab 2:3

For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.

Hab 2:4

“Behold the proud,
His soul is not upright in him;
But the just shall live by his faith.

David Guzik’s commentary of this portion of Scripture is really good!

Here are a few excerpts that spoke of the time of Habbukuk, but also see if you agree with me that this speaks towards our world today!

b. For the vision is yet for an appointed time: Habakkuk spoke to an age beyond his own. The Babylonian conquest would not be evident in his own day, but in the future.

2. (Hab 2:4-8) God knows how to deal with the proud.

a. Behold the proud: Habakkuk wondered why Babylon – a nation even more sinful than Judah – would be used to bring judgment to Judah. In answering the prophet, God first assures him that He sees the proud, and knows that his soul is not upright in him.

i. Pride is everywhere and takes all manner of shapes.

– Here is the rich man, proud of what he has

– There is the poor man, proud of his “honor” in having less

– Here is the talented man, proud of what he can do

– There is the man of few talents, proud of his hard work

– Here is the religious man, proud of his religion

– There is the unbeliever, proud of his unbelief

– Here is the establishment man, proud of his place in society

– There is the counter-cultural man, proud of his “outcast” status

– Here is the learned man, proud of his intelligence and learning

– Here is the simple man, proud of his simplicity

Now, think about those who are involved in identity/racial/grievance crowd politics.  Can you see that pride is one of the main culprits that is being used to divide our nation, our people, and our government?

ii. “If there is a sin that is universal, it is this. Where is it not to be found? Hunt among the highest and loftiest in the world, and you shall find it there; and then go and search amongst the poorest and the most miserable, and you shall find it there. There may be as much pride inside a beggar’s rags as in a prince’s robe; and a harlot may be as proud as a model of chastity. Pride is a strange creature; it never objects to its lodgings. It will live comfortably enough in a palace, and it will live equally at its ease in a hovel. Is there any man in whose heart pride does not lurk?” (Spurgeon)

Guzik goes even further:

iv. “Wherever pride is found, it is always hateful to God.

The list of those utilizing “pride” (above) demonstrates how and why so many of the evils of our time are being perpetrated by those who adhere to such tactics;  and how it negatively affects us all!  Not only is pride “always hateful to God,” it is also hateful to man.

Why! pride is even hateful to men. Men cannot bear a proud man; and hence it is that a proud man, who has any sense left, often sees that it is so, and he therefore tries to affect manners of modesty. He will seem to be humble, when he really is not, if he has the suspicion that all about him will dislike him if they know him to be proud. But God cannot bear pride; it is a part of his daily business to put down the proud.” (Spurgeon)

So…what is the antidote to pride which is hateful to God and man?

b. But the just shall live by his faith: In contrast to the proud, there are the just. The principle of their life is faith, instead of pride that looks to self. True faith looks outside of self unto the LORD God, while pride always looks to self.

That last sentence deserves to be repeated:

True faith looks outside of self unto the LORD God, while pride always looks to self.

i. This brief statement from the prophet Habakkuk is one of the most important, and most quoted Old Testament statements in the New Testament. Paul used it to show that the just live by faith, not by law. Being under the law isn’t the way to be found just before God, only living by faith is.

ii. If you are declared just -that is, approved – before God, you have done it by a relationship of faith. If your life is all about living under the law, then God does not find you approved.

iii. In Hebrew, the important part of the verse has only three words: “the justified man,” “by his faith,” and “will live.” Every word in Habakkuk 2:4 is important, and the Lord quotes it three times in the New Testament just to bring out the fullness of the meaning

– Romans 1:17 is the commentary on the justified man – “The just shall live by faith”

– Hebrews 10:38 is the commentary on faith – “The just shall live by faith“

– Galatians 3:11 is the commentary on the Christian life – “The just shall live by faith”

The just shall live by faith!

Whenever someone makes a dated prediction about the end of the world, it will do readers good to recall what Jesus Christ said to his disciples (and, to all of us!):

Mat 24:3

Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

Mat 24:4

And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.

Mat 24:5

“For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.

Mat 24:6

“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all[fn] these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

Mat 24:7

“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences,[fn] and earthquakes in various places

Mat 24:8

“All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Mat 24:9

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.

Mat 24:10

“And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another

Mat 24:11

“Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.

Mat 24:12

“And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

Mat 24:13

“But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

Mat 24:14

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

I suggest reading Matthew 24 in its entirety! The words of Jesus Christ are faithful and true and can be trusted!

Blue Letter Bible: Matthew 24

Hat tip: Blue Letter Bible and David Guzik Study Guide on Habbukuk 2

Strife in this World. Where Are You? Where Are You Going?

I recently listened to one of the Dave Matthews Band’s greatest hits entitled, “Where Are You Going.”

You can watch the video here:

YouTube: Dave Matthews Band: Where Are You Going? [Lyrics below post]

I have always liked this singer’s voice and many of the band’s songs. Matthew’s singing style is often very calm and soothing. In this particular song, Dave Matthews  asks  the “where are you going?” question.  At certain spots in the song, he (sadly) states that he “has no answers for you.” But he does state, “where you go is where I wanta be.”

So, where does one look for the ultimate answer to “where are you going?” Where do YOU ultimately want to be and with Whom?

Before we get to those important questions, let’s look at a few words that describe what most of us go through at times in this life.

The first word is “strife.”

The meaning of the word “strife:”

noun
1. vigorous or bitter conflict, discord, or antagonism:
to be at strife.

2. a quarrel, struggle, or clash:
armed strife.

3. competition or rivalry:
the strife of the marketplace.

4. Archaic. strenuous effort.
– Dictionary.com

The Bible utilizes the term “tribulation” [“trouble” in some versions]

noun

1.  grievous trouble; severe trial or suffering.

2.  an instance of this; an affliction, trouble, etc.

tribulation in the Bible:

trouble or affliction of any kind (Deut. 4:30; Matt. 13:21; 2 Cor. 7:4). In Rom. 2:9 “tribulation and anguish” are the penal sufferings that shall overtake the wicked. In Matt. 24:21, 29, the word denotes the calamities that were to attend the destruction of Jerusalem.

Easton’s 1897 Bible Dictionary

– Dictionary.com

The NKJV at the Blue Letter Bible website informs us that the term “tribulation” occurs 22 times in 22 verses.

The plural version of “tribulations” occurs 8 times in 8 verses.

I encourage readers to click on the individual verses and read the surrounding Scripture. It always helps to clarify the content and keep it in proper context.

When we read this portion of a verse in 2 Thessalonians, one could accidentally take it out of context.

2Th 1:6

since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you,

Reading all of 2 Thessalonians chapter 1 reveals what we are to be, do, and endure on this earth. There will come a time when those who wrought trouble upon believers in Jesus Christ will be “repaid with tribulation” by God Himself.

Did anyone reading here today hear about the recent clash between a female anti-Trump passenger and a male passenger sitting next to her on a plane?

You can view the video clip HERE.

In the video clip, Martha McCallum also interviews the man who was verbally attacked, and you might be surprised at what he says near the end of the interview. He didn’t want to press charges against her, saying that “maybe they were just having a bad day, or something.” And he ended the interview by saying, “I just wanted to show them the love of Jesus.”

Perhaps the Christian man heard that the woman and her husband were flying back from the funeral of her mother-in-law? Now THAT would have been a very bad day for anyone! If the woman and her husband were not kicked off of the plane, perhaps he could have shared the Good News of the Gospel with her.

Maybe not…

But this man showed grace towards two individuals – one was silent (the husband) while the other verbally abused and cursed at him (the cursing part isn’t in the video clip, but several witnesses said he was cursed at during this encounter).

Jesus warned us that “in this world, we would have tribulation (or trouble).”

Matthew 24 describes it vividly, and we learn that such trouble and strife will increase the closer we get to the end times.

Mat 24:7

“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences,[fn] and earthquakes in various places.

Mat 24:8

“All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Mat 24:9
¶
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.

Mat 24:10

“And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another

Mat 24:11

“Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.

Mat 24:12

“And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

I am seeing a huge increase in “the love of many will grow cold.” Even relatives, friends, and acquaintances are turning on each other over the election results last month! It’s truly sad…

Matthew 24 informs us:

Mat 24:13

“But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

Mat 24:14

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

The truth contained in the Bible knows no equal! We are told that Christians are going to be persecuted. Notice that “the fruit of the Spirit” contains the term “longsuffering.”

Gal 5:22
¶
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Gal 5:23

gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

Longsuffering is why Christians are told (in Matthew 24:13)  to endure till the end.

What are we seeing since the election (as well as before it)? A huge increase in the following as described in Galatians:

Gal 5:19
¶
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery,[fn] fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,

Gal 5:20

idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,

Gal 5:21

envy, murders,[fn] drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

No matter what is thrown against us, we have the promises of Jesus Christ to sustain us through it all.

Jesus tells us:

Jhn 16:33

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will[fn] have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Paul reiterates this in Romans:

Rom 8:38

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,

Rom 8:39

nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Our true and ultimate home:

Jhn 14:2

“In My Father’s house are many mansions;[fn] if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.[fn

 

Jhn 14:3

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

NKJV Footnotes

(14:2)

Literally dwellings

Hat tips to all links and graphics.

*******

Lyrics to “Where Are You Going” by the Dave Matthews Band.

Where are you going
With your long face
Pullin’ down
Don’t hide away,
Like an ocean
That you can’t see
But you can smell
And the sound of waves crash down.
I am no superman
I have no reasons for you.
I am no hero,
Aw that for sure,
But I do know one thing,
That’s where you are is where I belong.
I do know
Where you go,
Is where I wanta be.

Where are you going,
Where do you go.
Are you looking for answers,
To questions, under the stars
Well if along the way,
You are grown weary,
You can rest with me
Until a brighter day
When you ok.

I am no superman,
I have no answers for you.
I am no hero,
And that’s for sure.
But I know one thing,
That’s where you are, is where I belong.
I do know
Where you go,
Is where I want to be.

Where are you going
Where do you go.

Where do you go.
Where are you going,
Where do you go.

I am no Superman
I have no answers,
For you.
I am no hero,
Aw that’s for sure.
But I do know one thing,
That’s where are,
Is where I belong.
I do know
Where you go,
Is where I wanta be.

Where are you going
Where do you go.

And a where are you going.
Where…lets go!

Songwriters
HARRISON, GAVIN RICHARD / BYER, RICARDO A.

Published by
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Read more: Dave Matthews Band – Where Are You Going Lyrics | MetroLyrics

What is Stored Up In You?

As I witness the continual, never-ending calamity going on within our political system, I decided to find out the truth behind it all.   The reasons for my search include the following:

1. The horrible rhetoric that comes from certain individuals in Congress.
2. The pundits on TV who agree with such harmful words (and their motives behind it all).
3. The hatred spewed daily by the Hollyweird crowd.
4. The radical and dangerous groups that have chosen to do evil and plot schemes to cause disruption and outright harm to the Americans attending the inauguration of Donald J. Trump as our next President of the United States.What is the underlying cause?

   I decided to go to the Bible to help me figure out and understand why many persons on the far left choose to be so vicious against (and highly disparaging of) their opponents (especially Christians!) on the right.

Those words spoken by Jesus in John 16:33 are a continual comfort to me!  We are to expect trouble and tribulation in this temporal world, but Jesus has overcome the world!  As believers and followers of Him, what could be better than all of His promises to us?

When addressing the Pharisees in Matthew 12:22-37 (who accused Jesus of casting out demons through the power of Satan) in Matthew 12:22-37,  Jesus said, “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.”  Matthew 12:35 NIV

 

Jesus was telling us that what we say reveals what is in our hearts.  What comes out of the mouth is an indication of what your heart is really like.

When Jesus began his ministry on earth, he said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:17b

We know that well-known people (i.e. athletes, celebrities, politicians, even religious leaders) make public apologies.  However, it begs the question:  Are they truly sorry or sorry they were found out?

Only God knows, of course.  We could phrase it another way and say if people (including us) are sorry for sins, shouldn’t they (we) come forth on their (our) own before they (we) are called out?

In 2 Corinthians 7:9 we are shown the fruit of genuine sorrow.

“Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance.  For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing.”

We recognize that “godly sorrow produces repentance” (2 Corinthians 7:10).  That is, when we are truly sorry about something, it will be evidenced by our repentance–which includes confession, asking forgiveness, and restitution where it is needed.

The NIV version of 2 Corinthians 7:10 reads:

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

We could contrast the obvious godly sorrow that Peter felt when he denied Jesus three times (which Jesus predicted he would do even before it happened!) vs. the worldly sorrow that Judas felt when he tossed the 30 pieces of silver back to the Pharisees and then ended up hanging himself.

Compare Peter’s remorse and repentance with Judas’s bitterness and act of suicide.  Both disowned Christ.  One repented and was restored to faith and service, the other took his own life.  Worldly sorrow leads to death.  Not only death in this earthly life, but also eternal death.

Another example is the two thieves on either side of Christ as he hung on the cross.

Luk 23:39
¶
Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ,[fn] save Yourself and us.

Luk 23:40
¶
But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?

Luk 23:41

“And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.”

Luk 23:42

Then he said to Jesus, “Lord,[fn] remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

Luk 23:43
¶
And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

It is never too late to repent!  Right before the thief’s death, he acknowledged his sin and asked Jesus to remember him when He comes into His kingdom!

Paul told us that there is a false kind of sorrow–the “sorrow of the world.”  And that sorrow leads not to repentance but to “death.”  Yes, sins and errors of judgment are embarrassing and sometimes shameful.  But when their magnitude is truly realized, godly sorrow always leads to repentance–a change of mind and direction.

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones wrote:

“Christianity starts with repentance.”

Very true!  The term “repent” appears in the Bible 33 times in 32 verses.

John the Baptist, who was prophesied in Isaiah 40:3 urged people to repent:

Mat 3:1
¶
In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

Mat 3:2

and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

Mat 3:3

For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the LORD;
Make His paths straight.’ ”[fn – Isaiah 40:3]

More prophecy fulfilled from (4:16)

Isaiah 9:1, 2

 

Mat 4:12
¶
Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee.

Mat 4:13

And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,

Mat 4:14

that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

Mat 4:15

“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles:

Mat 4:16

The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,
And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death
Light has dawned.”[fn]

Mat 4:17
¶
From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

There is a Proverb that reads:

For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again, but the wicked shall fall by calamity.  Proverbs 24:16

There is another Proverb that reads:

Do not envy wicked men, do not desire their company; for their hearts plot violence, and their lips talk about making trouble.   Proverbs 24:1-2

Since there is none who are righteous (see Isaiah 64:6 and Romans 3) God sent His Son to pay the penalty for our sins and reside in our hearts (through the Holy Spirit)  as His righteousness within us!

Jesus’ shed blood at the cross was the propitiation for our sins; and believing in Him, confessing and repenting of our sins, is the only way back to God.

Hat tips:

Blue Letter Bible
All Graphics links

The Presidential Campaign Has Gone From Bad to Worse, to Nightmarish, to Surreal!

Joel Rosenberg’s blog post should be read by everyone – especially Christians!  It is spot on in describing what the current presidential campaign has become!

Ironically, Dr. David Jeremiah mentioned Mr. Rosenberg’s expertise on the Bible and Bible prophecy in today’s sermon on Turning Point:  “The Apathy of America.”

Excerpt:

As the news from both presidential candidates goes from bad to worse to nightmarish to surreal (see below), I find myself grieving. There is no other way to put it. I’m not grieving as one who has no hope. But I am grieving all the same.

It is bitterly painful to see America arrive at this point, neck-deep in corruption and vulgarity, edging closer and closer, day by day, towards moral, spiritual, social and economic implosion.

We desperately need a revival, a sweeping spiritual awakening, to put us back on the right track. Will it come? I honestly do not know. I’m praying — pleading — for the Lord to give us one, and soon. I’m praying for each of the presidential and vice presidential candidates, and their families and advisors. I’m praying the Lord will supernaturally salvage this train wreck of an election and give us a surprise ending that will truly bless the entire country. Yet I’m also praying for His infinite, amazing grace and mercy if He chooses to let us proceed down this ugly path “as is.”

Unless we turn wholeheartedly to Christ our coming King and Redeemer, it could be a very dark four years indeed. But the Scriptures do offer us hope.

“If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.” (Jeremiah 18:7-10)

I have to admit that I seriously long for the Lord to set the Rapture into motion in the days or weeks ahead. Election Day would be just fine, though sooner would be better.

I am willing to preach the Gospel and teach the Word of God and make disciples and serve the poor as long as the Lord tarries, so as long as He continues to grant the grace and strength to do His will and forgiveness whenever I inevitably fall short.

But as darkness falls over America, as it is falling over so much of the world, I am growing weary. As the rich and powerful and corrupt seem to gain more riches and more power and grow more corrupt, I am growing weary. As I see injustice spreading like a cancer, and as I see so many people abandoning the faith and ignoring the Word of God and doing whatever is right in their own eyes, I am growing weary.

It is all foretold, of course. The ancient prophecies are coming to pass — all the apostasy, the corruption, the persecution and darkness that the Lord Jesus and the Apostles and the Hebrew prophets foretold about the “last days” — we’re seeing it all play out, just as the Word warned us ahead of time.

Consider just this passage and ask yourself if this doesn’t describe American culture and politics today? “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, 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; avoid such men as these.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

The worse it gets, the more I find myself saying, “Maranatha, come, Lord Jesus!”

I’m not going to post anything new about the increasingly toxic and tremendously disturbing presidential campaign. If you’re interested, you can read what I posted on my “Epicenter Team” page on Facebook on Friday. Or you can scroll through the last several days of Tweets.

For now, let me just say this: regardless of how grieved I am by both nominees, I am 100% committed to genuinely and faithfully praying for the Trump family, and for the Clintons, as I have been throughout this campaign. I will continue to pray that the Lord Jesus Christ shows them great mercy, that they will seek Him with all their heart, and that He will supernaturally change them and bear much good fruit in and through them.

The God of the Bible is a change agent. All through the Scriptures we see God saving, changing and redeeming broken, burdened, troubled lives, and it is breathtaking to behold. The Lord loves to change hearts and minds and mouths. He alone has the power to change lives, and I truly pray He will show His great mercy and love to the Trumps and the Clintons. Meanwhile, I have great respect for those who feel called to provide either family and either candidate sound, Biblical, spiritual counsel. Both families need true, faithful believers around them speaking the truth in love, as do we all.

Indeed, whoever wins the presidency and is raised up to lead America for the next four years, I will pray for faithfully and respectfully. This is what the Apostle Paul commands of us. Thus, I hope you and your family and friends will be faithful in praying for the next president and all the Members of Congress, too. “First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (I Timothy 2:1-4)

That said, I believe it’s important for all of us to realize just how much trouble we’re in. After killing 58 million babies, America now faces impending divine judgment. There is no way out, no way back. The blood of 58 million babies is crying out for justice and they will get it.

Only a true revival — a great, sweeping spiritual awakening — could possibly forestall such a judgment. In addition to such a great awakening, ideally the Lord will give America a leader like King Josiah, the Biblical leader who made big, bold changes to turn his nation around. Indeed, God saw Josiah’s humble heart, and his great love for the Scriptures, and his passionate commitment to help his nation make major reforms and get back on the right track, and therefore He gave Josiah much favor. Indeed, because of Josiah’s leadership, the Lord chose to forestall imminent judgement of the nation of Judah for some two decades.

Sadly, neither Donald Trump nor Hillary Clinton nor Tim Kaine have demonstrated any of the characteristics of Josiah. But Gov. Mike Pence has. Perhaps the Lord will raise him up to provide the leadership we need at this time. I hope so. Time will tell.

In the meantime, prayer is really all we have as individual Christians at this point. Yet what more do we need? Prayer offers us a direct line to our Father in heaven, the Almighty God of the universe who could grant us a great awakening if He sovereignly chose to, or who alone can give us the grace to endure the suffering and hardships if He chooses to set His judgments into motion.

In these dark times, my friends, come what may, may you and I keep our eyes on Jesus and be “joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer.” (Romans 12:12)

Hat tips:

Joel C. Rosenberg’s Blog: Some thoughts on a presidential campaign going from bad to worse to nightmarish.

David Jeremiah.org

“Obsession” With Bible Prophecy?

I don’t recall reading too many articles where the Christian author seems to discourage studying, writing about, and sharing Bible prophecy.  Well, that changed today when I read this:

Obsession With Bible Prophecy – The Devil Loves It

I will admit that I don’t know much about the author. His bio says this:

Chuck Baldwin – is a radio broadcaster, syndicated columnist, and pastor dedicated to preserving the historic principles upon which America was founded.

About Us “Chuck Baldwin Live” aired its first program on August 1, 1994. The broadcast originated as a Radio Talk Show and continued in that capacity for eight years. The current format of the show features a recording of Dr. Baldwin’s sermons and commentaries that are heard 30 times a week on 12 radio stations in 5 States, including Northwest Florida (from Destin, Florida to Mobile Alabama) and Southern Alabama (including Evergreen, Greenville, and Monroeville), parts of Central Florida (Deland area), Lynchburg and Martinsville, Virginia (including Roanoke, Virginia and into the Triad area of Winston/Salem, Greensboro, and High Point North Carolina), and in Utah (between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas). CBL is constitutionalist, Christian, pro-life, pro-traditional family, and patriotic. We support constitutional government and the Bill of Rights. We hold fast to the principles and values expressed by the Founding Fathers and the Declaration of Independence.

OK…he’s a pastor? Well, it’s often not surprising that some pastors choose to ignore the book of Revelation. I have been in a church where the pastor happened to refuse to include the study of Revelation in the sermons. I didn’t bother to ask why because I quickly left that congregation.

I found the link via a blog called, “Freedom Is Just Another Word.”

Since there was no section for comments at the original author’s site, I wrote the following at the linked blog:

christinewjc

August 18, 2016 at 10:59 am

Wow! Went to the author’s website and the article was quite harsh! If we aren’t supposed to look at, study, and share “the signs of the times” for the additional purposes of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the warnings with the lost, then why does Revelation 22:7 tell us – “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”???

BIBLE PROPHECY: Why Study Bible Prophecy?

I know of a “Christian” pastor who REFUSES to preach on the book of Revelation. Years ago, I attended a women’s Bible study at that church. One of the studies included Anne Graham Lotz’s book (and study) entitled “The Vision of His Glory.” It was a great study that focused on Jesus (after all, it is the Revelation of Jesus Christ!) without all of the “scary” imagery of what happens to the unsaved.

But that study was not discussed with the church congregation. Only those who chose to attend learned about it.

Why do some pastors choose to ignore biblical prophecy? I don’t really know the answer to that question. Could be many reasons why the prophetic books are ignored. Maybe there is the fear of scaring away those who attend the church? Perhaps there is the fear of “upsetting” the unsaved that might come to the church? Could it be because of ignorance on the topic so the pastor chooses to ignore it?

I didn’t stay in that church long enough to find out whether or not the pastor ever discussed any of the Old Testament prophetic books like Ezekiel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and the Psalms.

This is a great post Joe! I’m glad that you are doing this important series!
God bless you!
In Christ,
Christine

The Oil for Your Lamp

WHY STUDY PROPHECY?

When the non-believer reads prophecy, all they usually see is a bunch of fanciful, vaguely worded stories that can be interpreted to mean nearly anything.  Consequently, they dismiss prophecy as foolishness.  Sadly, many believers also dismiss prophecy.  To them, it simply isn’t important.  I even know pastors who say they are not concerned with prophecy.  Frankly, this troubles me more than non-believers who dismiss prophecy.  Nearly one third of the Bible is prophecy. If the Lord thinks prophecy is important enough that one third of His Word has been revealed in the form of prophecy, then I should think that, at the very least, believers should think it is important enough to study (let alone a pastor).  But more than this, the Scriptures actually tell us why we should study prophecy.  Here’s what I’ve found in studying this subject.

View original post 767 more words

Is America Under Judgment?

This is a question for anyone who cares to share their own opinion, scholarly review(s), or biblical knowledge about this topic.  Is America currently under judgment?

I asked that question of a Christian friend in a previous comment thread who happens to support Donald Trump for president.

When I first started blogging about my opposition to Trump as the nominee, I did write that even though he isn’t my choice for president, IMHO he would be light-years better than either HiLIARy [H/T Steve of Cry and Howl for link] or Commie Bernie. All that I could do is hope for the best concerning him. However, the more I learn about him, the less I think that my previous opinion was accurate.

Recently, the media of mass deception (can’t trust them, of course!) has claimed that Trump stated that his plans for banning Muslim immigrants “is a suggestion.” First he said he would ban them “until we know what is going on”…whatever that means. Next, he said that it would be a temporary ban. OK good – that brings some clarity to the issue. This morning I watched a brief segment of the news on CNN, and they had as the byline beneath the screen that Trump is now saying, “everything is a suggestion.” I shake my head in disbelief that he ever said that! Do you know if it’s true? I didn’t think that Trump would be so wishy-washy and it bothers me.

Now, I hear that Mitt Romney and a bunch of anti-Trump Republicans want to draft Mark Cuban to run as a third-party candidate.

I have tried to wrap my mind around all of the possible scenarios regarding this election and at this point, I can’t even imagine what is going to happen.

I fear that God still places America under judgment because of her sins. Such sins run rampant like never before and until the people in this nation repent and turn back to the Lord Jesus Christ, we will continue to deserve such judgment.

Editorial Reviews

An obscure passage in the Book of Isaiah describing the fall of ancient Israel has, since September 11, 2001, been eerily re-enacted in the United States exactly as it originally occurred in the time of the great prophet of Israel leading to the nation’s demise.

Jonathan Cahn, the author of The Harbinger, has been shocking audiences by revealing the astonishing parallels between the fall of ancient Israel and current events unfolding in the US, what he calls “an ancient mystery that holds the secret of America’s future and the collapse of the global economy.”

In this stunning new documentary The Isaiah 9:10 Judgment, Rabbi Cahn unravels the mystery behind this seemingly innocuous Biblical verse, and shows that ancient harbingers of judgment are now manifesting in America, just as they once did in Israel. This fascinating new DVD asks the question, “Is God sending America a prophetic message of what will soon be?” and Rabbi Cahn provides the answers through mounting evidence that the answer is ‘yes.’

 

Top Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars
Warnings From God? By David Bower VINE VOICE on July 8, 2012
Format: DVD
This is an interesting study on some very pertinent events in the recent history of the United States. Rabbi Cahn uses the verse in Isaiah 9:10 as a focus for his analysis of events in this country starting on September 11, 2001 with the destruction of the two World Trade Center towers representing the first shaking.

The documentary is in two parts, “The First Shaking” and “The Second Shaking” on two DVD’s. In the first Rabbi Cahn seeks to show how events after 9/11 followed a similar pattern to Israel’s experience before their destruction at the hands of the Assyrians. The parallels are too close to appear coincidental and Rabbi Cahn presents strong arguments that these events are warnings from God.

The information provided is interesting to anyone who is concerned about the future of this country and brings together in one place a cross-section of information that applies to the events which occurred. The conclusion is we are following a similar path nationally and are being given a warning that the path we are following is the wrong one.

If a national repentance does not come wherein we return to our dependency on the grace of God, judgment will surely follow and increase in intensity.

The second DVD, “The Second Shaking” discusses the second warning from God as being the financial problems that have emerged and focuses on the events of September, 2008 including the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers and the stock market crash of 2008.

The second DVD attempts to introduce a note of hope when Rabbi Cahn urges Christians to remember God’s promise in 2 Chronicles 7:14. There may be a problem there because many believe that promise was only to Israel, not to the church. God gave Israel a land but He didn’t give the church a land, He gave the church a heavenly city, The New Jerusalem.

There is no real doubt that the United States is on an unsustainable path; if we continue on this path we are heading down a path toward our destruction as a nation. As students of prophecy have observed, the United States is conspicuously absent from Bible prophecy concerning the end times.

It may well be we are observing the reasons for this as they play out in real life before us. It appears doubtful to me that the USA will be restored in the time left as signs all over the world point to the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Hat tips to all links.

Sam Vaknin: Evaluating the mental health of a public figure.

Last evening I was walking the dogs when my husband texted me that Senator Cruz was suspending his campaign. When I returned to the house, I texted one of my friends and lamented that we do not have anyone to vote for in either the primary or the general election. She wrote back:

Yes, I am officially a never Trump…

If doesn’t matter because he would be as bad as Hillary…

With this development in the presidential race, there are people cheering, while others are truly sad and groaning in despair!

I will be meeting with another friend this afternoon who is pro-Trump and will probably be ecstatic that he is now the presumptive republican nominee. We have been very close friends for about 26 years and rarely disagree on anything. However, we do disagree about Trump.

Previously, I wrote this post where, I tried to warn my friend that Trump doesn’t appear to be a genuine Christian believer in Jesus Christ.  However, in order to not sound too harsh about my reservations regarding a Trump presidency, I also wrote, “we aren’t electing a ‘pastor in chief’ and she agreed with that.”

Excerpt:

We got on the subject of Trump’s faith, and I shared with my friend the research I had done on him (some of which is in this post).

My friend didn’t know this information about Trump, (especially the point that Trump doesn’t see the need to ask God for forgiveness) and being a devout Catholic I think that it concerned her as it has concerned me. However, I did say that we aren’t electing a “pastor in chief” and she agreed with that. I stated that in the Bible, God has used non-believers to carry out His eternal plan. We know from history that many of these types of leaders (the various “isms” like communism, Islamism etc.) have wreaked havoc upon their own people.  The Bible warns us about the adversary, Satan who comes to “steal, kill, and destroy” through the use of such evil leaders.  God can use even this as a form of chastisement to turn people back to God.

My question.  Do we need more chastisement after the last 7+ long egregiously aberrant years under the current hoax and chains administration?

Well, a good blogging friend of mine wrote a post LESSONS IN SCRIPTURE: “We’re Electing A Leader, Not A Pastor”. Upon reading it, I found myself agreeing with him on many points!

Excerpt:

Well, for all our ‘technological advancement,’ our founders were far wiser than we are today.  They understood the perils of pride and arrogance, and that, if we allowed it to govern us instead of God’s Word, it would cost us our liberty.  If you doubt this, then open this link and start reading their words.  I am pretty sure they would condemn anyone who says “we’re electing a leader, not a pastor.”  But then, you might disagree…

In the Founders’ Words: the Essential Role of Religion in Public and Civic Life

Next, I ran across the following (absolutely devastating!) post over at Gulag Bound.

How Bad a Narcissist is Donald Trump, Really? Sam Vaknin Explains

There is so much to read at the link that it is difficult to excerpt! However, here are a few:

Vaknin: Evaluating the mental health of a public figure requires an inordinate amount of research. Over the past 5 years, I have watched well over 600 hours of Trump in various settings and read everything he has written and was quoted as saying. I have no such in-depth acquaintance with the other candidates except Clinton.

Trump is a malignant narcissist. This view is shared by dozens of mental health professionals who went on public record with their analyses of his mental infirmity. He is dangerous, antisocial, destructive, vindictive, sadistic, and hypervigilant (paranoid and hypersensitive).

[Vaknin]: Trump is so unfit to be president that I am not sure where to start. But here are a few issues that are likely to raise their collective ugly heads even in the first weeks of a Trump Presidency:

Trump regards himself as omniscient, an authority on anything and everything, from aesthetics to ethics. He, therefore, lacks intellectual curiosity and regards outside advice as both superfluous and injurious (because it implies that he is less than perfect). He is likely to surround himself with timid yes-men and sycophantic acolytes, and generate an impregnable echo chamber rather than a council of wise men and women.

Trump’s grasp of nuanced reality, weak as it already is, is likely to deteriorate further to the point of paranoid psychosis. Faced with opposition, however tenuous, he is likely to react by scapegoating and by inciting street or state violence against targeted groups. Trump is the state, so his enemies (anyone who as much as voices doubt or disagrees with him) is, by definition, an enemy of the state.

[Like] all narcissists, Trump believes that he is universally loved, adored, and admired. He attributes this ostensible (and utterly delusional) blanket approbation to his effusive charm and irresistibility. He is firmly convinced that he can motivate people to transgress against their own moral convictions and to break the law, if necessary, just by the sheer force of his monumental personality. Trump idealizes and then rapidly devalues people, collectives, and institutions. Trump is in sempiternal flux: he is inconstant in his judgements, opinions, views, and fleeting attachments.

Trump is intellectually lazy, so he is a firm adherent of shortcuts and of “fake it till you make it.” It is a dangerous approach that led him to botch numerous business deals and inflict untold damage and suffering on thousands of people. [AW: e.g., bankrupt businesses, Trump University.]

Trump is authoritarian in the worst sense of the word. In his disordered, chaotic mind, he is infallible (incapable of erring), omnipotent (can achieve anything if he just sets his mind to it), and omniscient (needs to learn nothing as he is the fount of all true, intuitive knowledge). This precludes any proper team work, orderly governance, institutional capacity, flow of authority and responsibility, and just plain structure. Trump is an artist, led by inconsistent and intermittent inspiration, not by reliable, old-fashioned perspiration. He is not a self-made man, but a self-conjured caricature of a self-made man. Trump is guided by his alleged inner divine wisdom. He is a malevolent guru and cult leader, not a politician or a statesman.

Ironically, Trump’s much trumpeted grandiosity is fragile because it is based on delusional and fantastic assumptions of perfection and intellectual brilliance which are hard to defend. Hence Trump’s relentless and compulsive pursuit of affirmation and adulation. He needs to be constantly idolized just to feel half human. Criticism and disagreement, however minor and well-intentioned, are perceived as unmitigated threats to the precarious house of cards that is Trump’s personality. Consequently, Trump is sadistically vindictive, aiming not just to counter such countervailing opinions regarding his Godlike status, but to deter and intimidate future critics. [AW: behaviors unfortunately lumped nebulously together in the media as “bullying”]

The author being interviewed in that post certainly has done far more research than the average person. He has spent over 600 hours on diagnosing Trump!  He has written books on malignant personality disorder!

Sam Vaknin is the author of “Malignant Self-love: Narcissism Revisited” and other books and e-books about personality disorders in general and pathological narcissism in particular. His work is cited widely in both scholarly literature and the media. His YouTube channels have 45,000 subscribers and more than 15,000,000 views.

Ugh…our future as a nation needs to be held up in much prayer and we need to cry out to God for forgiveness and healing!  If we are not entering into the end times that leads to the future Great Tribulation, then we are certainly experiencing the “birth pangs” that Jesus told us would happen the closer we get!

Rom 8:22

For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.

***Dear believers in the Lord Jesus Christ! ***

Rom 8:19

For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.

Rom 8:20

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope;

Rom 8:21

because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

 

***PLEASE read all of  Romans 8  for needed encouragement!***

 

2Ch 7:14

“if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Hat tips to all links.

Right vs. Wrong Has Been Replaced by an Us vs. Them Morality in the Culture Wars

Personally, I do not always agree with everything that Rush Limbaugh says on his radio program.  However, there were four segments yesterday that help explain why right vs. wrong has been replaced by an “us vs. them” kind of mindset within our nation’s views about morality; as well as the current culture wars battles raging across our country.

Go to Rush Limbaugh.com and read the transcripts of the following headlines:

1.  The Bathroom Battle: Right vs. Wrong Has Been Replaced by Us vs.Them

I was listening to his radio show yesterday, and I thought that Rush was spot on with his analysis that many people do not see issues as “right vs. wrong,” anymore, but have more of an “us vs. them” mentality when it comes to moral issues and biblical principles. Conservatives (and especially Bible-based Christians are the “them” in his analysis).

Excerpt:

RUSH: The key to understanding this, folks, in my humble estimation, is that it’s not about right versus wrong anymore.  It can’t be or we wouldn’t be losing these things. Right versus wrong, the left has been clever in eliminating that, right versus wrong, as a determinant in behavior.  And what it’s been replaced by is us versus them.  Us versus them.  And the “us” are the oppressed, grievance-filled minorities who feel like they have been denied liberty, freedom, whatever they think they’ve been denied by these evil majorities.  We are the villain.  And that’s the battle now.

IMHO, this explains why certain people who once held to biblical morality (or, perhaps never did in the first place and just claimed that they did??) have been fooled away from such beliefs.  Perhaps they ignore them now because they are not “cool.”   They will overlook so many of the false narratives that persons like Trump gets away with via the media of mass deception.

Why would people do this?

Because they just want to win an election SO BADLY that they will dismiss in their own minds what is clearly written out in Scripture as being wrong; and they also allow themselves to turn a blind eye to what has always been considered right – morally speaking.  Thus, it’s an “us vs. them” battle going on – even across political party lines!

At the link, also read:

2.  Changing Trump Confounds Everyone.

3.  LGBT Bathroom Callers Demonstrate How the Left Wins.

4.  Your EIB Lesson of the Day: In Order to Attract Voters to Our Side, We Must Abandon Everything We Believe In.

Side note:  The last caller of the day in this segment revealed a fact that the media of mass deception isn’t telling the public!

Excerpt:

CALLER: Well, Rush, I just wanted to make clear the fact that the Donald is making issue statements about not having all the information. Here in Charlotte, the city council was hijacked by the LGBT community, and they changed the law for nondiscrimination, opening up the bathroom portion of the law.

RUSH: Right.

CALLER: And now he makes a statement that we should keep it the same. Well, it was changed, and now we gotta fight.

RUSH: Yeah, here’s the point. This is a good point. It’s a good point. What Alan is saying here is they had laws in North Carolina for bathrooms. Men’s room, women’s room and so forth, and LGBT activists — actually in North Carolina I think it was a noted sex offender, an accused sex offender, convicted, pushed the change in the law to where there’s essentially no signs and anybody can use any bathroom at any time at all based on how they feel, how they want to present or what have you.

And he says that Trump’s argument today was they should just leave it the way it was. And Alan’s point, the way it was was perfectly fine until some political agitators came along and advocated for the change to accommodate them. And if the argument is gonna be leave it the way it was, the way it was was the way it was for decades, centuries, if you will. So, Alan I’m glad that you were able to get that in using brevity. Appreciate it.

END TRANSCRIPT

Did you catch that specific information about the accused sex offender pushing such an aberrant law that was revealed in the Rush’s comment?

“What Alan is saying here is they had laws in North Carolina for bathrooms. Men’s room, women’s room and so forth, and LGBT activists — actually in North Carolina I think it was a noted sex offender, an accused sex offender, convicted, pushed the change in the law to where there’s essentially no signs and anybody can use any bathroom at any time at all based on how they feel, how they want to present or what have you.”

A convicted sex offender pushed the change in the law!  Those of us sounding the alarm bells for protection of little girls in the lady’s restroom are correct to be absolutely outraged about this!!!  The insanity just gets worse and worse!

Now, let’s change gears and talk about what we can learn from God’s Word about this or any other issue regarding morality.

Bible-based Christians call such abandoning of moral values as “exchanging the truth for a lie.”

Jesus reveals “the father of lies” in John 8:44.

Jhn 8:44

“You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

Paul reiterates this truth and how the righteousness of God DOESN’T CHANGE (even though there are men who will try!) and that we are not to conform to the ungodly lusts of this fallen world.

Rom 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,[fn] for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

Rom 1:17

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”[fn]

Rom 1:18

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

Rom 1:19

because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.

Rom 1:20

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

Rom 1:21

because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Rom 1:22

Professing to be wise, they became fools,

Rom 1:23

and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.

Rom 1:24

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,

Rom 1:25

who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Rom 1:26

For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature.

Rom 1:27

Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

Rom 1:28

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;

Rom 1:29

being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality,[fn] wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,

Rom 1:30

backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

Rom 1:31

undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving,[fn] unmerciful;

Rom 1:32

who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

My prayer is that Christians who think that they are being “tolerant” by staying silent about the immorality permeating our culture will wake up, STAND UP,  and stand firm for the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

When John the Baptist was the voice crying out in the wilderness for people to repent:

Mat 3:1

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

Mat 3:2

and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

Mat 3:3

For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the LORD;
Make His paths straight.’ ”[fn]

He was announcing the long-awaited coming of the Messiah’s appearance!

Mat 4:17

From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

This fulfilled the prophecy in Isaiah:

Mat 4:13

And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,

Mat 4:14

that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

Mat 4:15

“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles:

Mat 4:16

The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,
And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death
Light has dawned.”[fn]

Hat tips to all links.