Category: prophecy

Posted in prophecy

About prophecy:

Posted on by elizabethprata

“But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD, And they do not understand His purpose; For He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.” Micah 4:12

When God reveals the future, His purpose goes beyond satisfying our curiosity. He wants us to change our present behavior because of what we know about the future. Forever begins now; and a glimpse of God’s plan for His followers should motivate us to serve Him, no matter what the rest of the world may do.

NIV Life Application Study Bible, p. 1460, RE Micah 4:12

Posted in godly, jesus, prophecy

Church: Of retina burning light shows and beds on the stage

Posted on by elizabethprata

I have been posting on and off for six months on the topic of the state of the American church. In July I posted about my experience attending a two-day Beth Moore Living Proof Convention in Charlotte NC. In part two of the series containing my (negative) reaction, I’d written,

“As the lights went down other lights flared up. It was a light show that accompanied the first drum beat. And that percussion was LOUD. I’d estimate they were about 115-120 decibels. Pain begins at 125 decibels. Between the green and red lights sweeping the arena, and the beats that made the floors shake, I was already overwhelmed. And I was only one minute into it. All the women were standing and the captions to the songs were crawling across the jumbo-trons, several of which were stationed adjacent to the stage. The Time Warner Arena doorposts and thresholds shook, and they shook hard. I decided right away that I’d spend Saturday’s musical worship time outside the arena in the lobby. The songs were a mixture of contemporary praise and hymns, but the hymns were blended into the contemporary. So as we were singing a modern song it would blend into an old-fashioned one. I don’t even remember, now which songs were sung, because I was too overcome by the noise and the lights. The session lasted about 20 minutes and it had a mood all its own. The cadence would begin slow and soft, and rise and rise to a climactic moment when those drum beats would shake the house, and then slowly descend back into soft. This method was repeated several times. Rather than be moved by the music, I had a bad emotional and spiritual reaction.”

I know that people may think I’m a fuddy duddy for writing that. People say ‘New generations listen to new music’, ‘it’s only music’, ‘people can be discriminating about the lyrics’, etc etc. But it is a bad trajectory. It is becoming more common than not as a method of worship. It is becoming more accepted as worship.

I came across the following video of church worship. They did not take place in a convention hall during a one-time workshop as Beth Moore’s event was. These are in church. This is Steven Furtick’s Elevation Church: (video HT Do Not Be Surprised)

If you can’t watch video, here is a screen shot from one of the moments:

I do not believe church, class, bible study or youth group should be a rock concert because the emotions and the senses (carnality) are incited, not to mention that Jesus is not central.

I have not been a church-goer for all that long. I came to faith in Jan 2004 and didn’t begin going to church until 18 months later, in Oct 2006 when I moved to GA. I’ve attended two Baptist churches in that time, five revivals, several Kay Arthur bible studies and two ladies retreats. I’ve taught children’s bible study on Wednesday nights the entire time, I’ve taught the Good News Club for two years, led the church’s Sunday School program, and also taught Vacation Bible School for four years. I’ve led an adult small home bible study for its 8 month course. It’s a lot in five and a half years but not so much that I have the same perspective of a long-term Christian. However, because of the shortness of the time I’ve been involved in different ministries, I’ve come to it with no preconceived church cultural view, and I’ve been dismayed at several things.

As a teacher for my profession, I’m used to over-developed curricular materials. I was dismayed to find the same problem in church curriculum. In all the materials I’ve been given, there are a host of activities, games, and side-tracking bustle that could not possibly be completed in the half hour or one hour time frame most children’s bible study is designed for. Vacation Bible School (VBS) was a surprise for me. The energy and money spent on elaborate decorations, curricular materials, food and crafts was a shock. There are constant songs with elaborate lyrics and dance moves. I& believe the ever increasing complexity and distraction of VBS materials directly mirrors what we see in Youth Ministries and now at last, in regular church for adults. I felt somewhat a rebel when I was asked to teach VBS and I emphasized that all I wanted was an empty room, a bible, and a bunch of kids. No songs, no props, no nothing. It is a beautiful thing when you teach the bible to children, they soak it up and they are a LOT more sophisticated in their questions and their thinking. In every activity or ministry, from small group to church sanctuary, I believe Jesus should be central with minimal distractions. For children and youth especially for the very reason they are bombarded with multimedia all day every day. Quieting things down for them to study the bible should be a no-brainer. Instead, we ramp it up.

Here is something speaking to the issue I’d written about regarding dignity at the pulpit:

“I enjoy a good laugh as much as anyone. I love fun, a good time, and yukking it up. However, I do not believe those things are appropriate for church, for bible study, for ecclesiastical conferences, or for prayer meetings. The call to dignity is both overt and inferred in the scriptures.”

So Ed Young brings a bed onto the pulpit.

Ed Young wrote of the event, “Thursday night, we have an opportunity to share God’s BIG TRUTH about BIG SEX with an international audience! I say “we” because this is our chance as a church to join together and pray for God to connect His truth to culture in a unique fashion.”

So a bed AND television cameras. Talk about inciting the senses.

Ed Young said his approach was in “unique fashion…” Beware the pastors who are proud of using “unorthodox approaches.” Like, Jesus needs unorthodox approaches? What happened to the orthodox approaches? Why do pastors feel the need to re-write the orthodox approach that Jesus laid down in the bible, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom. 10:17) to a man-made UNorthodox approach? I soundly criticize “unorthodox approaches.” They are unnecessary. Why?

Because “By mouth you hear the Gospel and then believe.” (Acts 15:7). “I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?” (Galatians 3:2). “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” (Colossians 3:16). That verse, means that the singing is supposed to proffer truth set to music as a kind of teaching. We should be singing with both the spirit and the mind so as to produce understanding. (1 Corinthians 14:15-16).

Introducing salacious thoughts into people’s minds by using ALL CAPS to highlight the word ‘sex’, placing the bible on the podium where a bed is also displayed, are all beyond the pale.

You may be thinking, “MY church would never do that. I attend a solid Southern Baptist Church/Evangelical Methodist/Lutheran…etc church.” But are “unorthodox approaches” being introduced even now? Apostasy is a slippery slope. “The ride down this slippery slope can begin very slowly, and with very subtle and seemingly harmless compromises. … Apostasy often begins by subtly de-emphasizing the fact that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God.” (source). THIS is where ‘unorthodox approaches’ lead to:

Can ‘Small’ Doctrinal Compromises Lead to Large-Scale Disaster?
“Jesus warned His disciples to “beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” By this, He meant their heretical doctrine (Matthew 16:5-12). Their doctrine, like much that is found in today’s Evangelical church, was founded primarily on two false principles: preaching a counterfeit salvation by adding works to faith, and debasing the authority of Scripture by subordinating it to the words of fallible men. Why was it necessary for even these men, the twelve who were closest to Christ, to “beware”? It was because they were men of sinful flesh, as we are. It is easy to be deceived.”

In that same article, Dr. Paul Elliott goes on to say,

“The word that perhaps best describes error in the church is one seldom used today: It is pernicious. … Once error is accepted in one area of foundational doctrine, departure from the truth in other areas becomes probable. … Compromise may have small beginnings, but it is like the breaching of a great dam. The breach may begin as a fingertip-sized hole allowing only a trickle to pass. But left to itself, the breach opens ever wider. The trickle eventually becomes a flood, and those responsible for the original breach are powerless to stop it. They themselves are often swept away, and others with them. Or, the flood of error may not come until after those who were originally responsible pass from the scene. But the damage will be done to succeeding generations.”

“Unorthodox approaches” …the breaching of a dam that leads to apostasy.

If you notice your church straying from doctrine at the pulpit in small ways, beware. It starts small. It ends with a retina-burning laser light show and a bed on the stage.

But remember, the Lord will not lose any one of His sheep. “Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.” (2 Timothy 2:19). Paul’s statement came on the heels of the previous verses that decried the false teachings of ones like Philetus and Hymenaeus, whose doctrines were like gangrene already infecting the church. He wrote the letter in approximately AD 67, where witnesses to the resurrection were still alive. If the first generation church could fall prey to false teachings and “men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some,” (2 Tim 2:18) then imagine the apostasy of our generation 2000 years later and our going away from the faith. Paul was in jail and knew this letter were likely his last words. He was tired, lonely and felt abandoned. Yet his focus was on Timothy and the next generation church, because Paul knew the strength of the Holy Word.

“Paul encourages Timothy to remain passionate for Christ and to remain firm in sound doctrine (2 Timothy 1:1-2, 13-14). Paul reminds Timothy to avoid ungodly beliefs and practices and to flee from anything immoral (2 Timothy 2:14-26). In the end times there will be both intense persecution and apostasy from the Christian faith (2 Timothy 3:1-17). Paul closes with an intense plea for believers to stand firm in the faith and to finish the race strong (2 Timothy 4:1-8).” (source)

“It is easy to get side-tracked in the Christian life. We have to keep our eyes on the prize—being rewarded in heaven by Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 4:8). We must strive to avoid both false doctrine and ungodly practices. This can only be accomplished by being grounded in our knowledge of God’s Word and firm in our refusal to accept anything that is unbiblical.” (source)

“Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” (2 timothy 2:21-22).
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Posted in hamas, jordan, prophecy, psalm 83

Looking at Psalm 83’s nearness, remember Obadiah’s prophecy of Jordan destroyed

Posted on by elizabethprata

A lot of nations are mentioned by name in the end time schedule of events. Egypt (Mizraim), Russia (Magog, Rosh), Turkey (Gomer, beth-Togarmah), Iran (Persia, Elam), Ethiopia & Libya (Cush & Phut), Lebanon (Canaan which included No. Israel) and of course, Israel. Here is a look at ancient and modern names in the bible, or here in list form. The map below enlarges if you click on it.

But what of Jordan (Moab, Amman, Edom)? Is Jordan, with which Israel shares a border and a brother, mentioned?(Gen 25:23) Yes. Obadiah is all about Jordan and its doom. But first, the news. There are two things happening this week which fit into prophecy. Overlaying both pieces of news is this fact to be kept in mind: Only Egypt and Jordan currently have a peace treaty with Israel. And with the Muslim Brotherhood’s ascendancy lately, winning the elections, they have said in December that they will not honor the peace treaty currently in force:

“Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood will not recognize Israel under any circumstances and might put the peace treaty with the Jewish state up to a referendum, the movement’s second in command told the Al-Hayat newspaper in an interview that was published Sunday. The announcement comes days before the final round in the first parliamentary elections in post-uprising Egypt. The Islamist movement has emerged as the biggest winner in polls, capturing nearly half of the seats so far.”

So that is not good news for Israel. Worse, is this. Here is some important news. As Syria devolves, Hamas leadership (Hamas terrorist organization sworn to destroy Israel) in Syria has been making frequent visits to Jordan. Jordan’s King Abdullah has always liked to characterize Jordan as being reasonable and stable. They hold a peace treaty with Israel. They have sworn not to ally with terrorists and booted Hamas out 12 years ago. And yet…there’s this from three days ago:

“Jordanian government spokesman Rakan al-Majali confirmed Friday that Jordan is expecting a visit from Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal and Qatari Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamas al-Thani, the London-based al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper reported.”

Is this visit in advance of a decision to make an entire shift in Hamas’ seat of leadership from Damascus to Jordan? The article goes on to say

“Al-Majali added that Jordan welcomes its guests as fellow brothers from Qatar and Hamas. He noted that the visit will be followed by a discussion on Jordan’s ties with Hamas and the interests of the Jordanian and Palestinian people. The spokesman also addressed Israeli reports suggesting that Qatar was pressuring Amman to take in Hamas in exchange for financial incentives…” but the official denied it, of course. Several Hamas senior officials recently left Damascus in the wake of the Assad regime’s violent crackdown. Some conjectured that the movement will seek refuge in Jordan which expelled it 12 years ago.”

It seems that Jordan is friendly with Hamas again. On Dec 6 the WSJ reported “Hamas ordered the departure of nearly all its staff at its Damascus headquarters by next week following pressure from Turkey and Qatar, two regional allies trying to isolate Syrian President Bashar al-Assad amid an eight-month crackdown on antiregime protests, according to a Hamas official. … Hamas will establish new headquarters in Cairo and Qatar to replace its operations in Syria, the official added. At the same time, Hamas leader Khaled Meshal is scheduled to meet with King Abdullah II of Jordan to discuss upgrading its presence in the kingdom.”

Since Dec 6 and with the confirmation of the highest Hamas official meeting with highest Jordanian officials three days ago, it seemed to lend credence to the reports that Hamas is changing venues back to its old home of Jordan.

Here is the second item I’d wanted to share:

Israel building a wall against Jordan
“Israel is carrying out a policy of “good fences make good neighbors” and will build a security fence along the Jordanian border, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced on Sunday. “When the security barrier along the Egyptian border is finished, one will be built along the border with Jordan,” the Prime Minister said at the weekly Cabinet meeting. The border on the south will stretch 240 kilometers (nearly 150 miles) and is scheduled to be completed before the end of 2012, at a cost of $360 million.”

You see the geo-physical problem with Egypt’s effective abandonment of the peace treaty with Israel, and the border of Jordan, where Egyptian extremists are said to be smuggling arms to Jordan…and the recent softening of relations between King Adullah and Hamas…

In his Gog Magog FAQ Joel Rosenberg asked “Bernard Lewis—the renowned Middle East scholar and author of numerous important books about the region including The Crisis of Islam—to assess the potential impact of Hamas coming to power in the post-Arafat environment. “The Hamas-Palestinian government may pose more of a danger to Jordan than to Israel,” he said.14 Lewis is right. Some 70 percent of Jordanian citizens are Palestinians, and Hamas would love to radicalize them and use them to help overthrow the king and unify Jordan, the West Bank, and Gaza into one jihadist state poised at Israel’s throat.”

Hamas and Jordan are definitely not a good mix. Whether it is the radicalization of Jordanian Palestinians by Hamas’s influence or some other measure, we know that at some point Jordan becomes rabid with hate, or at least weak enough to be unable to withstand hatred of Israel, and pitches in to the Psalm 83 confederacy that attacks Israel in the last days.

Now, the prophecy about Jordan says something startling. Jordan’s life as a nation will be completely wiped out. Obadiah is the shortest book in the OT and it’s entirely about “The Coming Judgment on Edom”. That judgment has not occurred yet, so it is still future. Remember, Jacob and Esau were twin brothers of Rebekah and Isaac and the older was prophesied to serve the younger. Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of red stew, and further, was tricked out of his blessing by Jacob at Rebekah’s insistence. For this, Esau has always hated Jacob. And Jordan (Idumea, Ammon, Moab, Edom) has always treated Israel harshly. They will be judged for it, and more, the LORD will use Jordan mightily in the process for His plan and glory.

First, Ob 1:18 says “The house of Jacob shall be a fire, And the house of Joseph a flame; But the house of Esau shall be stubble;They shall kindle them and devour them, And no survivor shall remain of the house of Esau,”

That is pretty startling. None will survive? What does that mean? I should tell you that a thorough and clear interpretation of Obadiah’s prophesies has eluded the most diligent and brilliant difficult scholars, therefore I will not even come close.

In my studies I take the plain meaning when it is clear that no other meaning should be taken (the writer is not using a metaphor or it’s not a parable).

Gill’s Exposition seems to say this too: ‘and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; that is, the Israelites shall fall upon the Edomites, who will be no more able to withstand them than stubble can stand before devouring flames of fire, and shall utterly waste and destroy them: and there shall not be any remaining of the house or Esau; … the Edomites shall be all consumed, and the Israelites shall inherit their land:’

But Clarke’s Commentary differs: “There shall not be any remaining – As a people and a nation they shall be totally destroyed. This is the meaning; it does not signify that every individual shall be destroyed.”

In any case, the land of Jordan will be destroyed as a nation, and the land will become Israel’s. It is in Jordan, in the area of Bozrah and likely the city of Petra, the remnant shall be protected. They are protected because Jordan is the one nation the antichrist is not able to conquer!

“He will also enter the Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon.” (Daniel 11:41).

Amazing isn’t it?!

So in Matthew 24:16 when Jesus warns the people to flee when they see the antichrist coming, He tells them to flee to the the mountains. The only way to do that is east to Jericho (15 miles, 6.5 hours’ walk) and then south down the King’s Highway to the mountainous area at the south end of the Dead Sea to Petra, approximately 125 miles.

In Psalm 83 Jordan is mentioned as an enemy of Israel conspiring toward her obliteration. The list below is from an article last Feb 2011 by Bill Salus, titled “Jordan soon to sever ties with Israel.” It is a good article.

Here is the Psalm 83 verse, “For they have consulted together with one consent; They form a confederacy against You: The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab and the Hagrites; Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assyria also has joined with them;They have helped the children of Lot. Selah” (Ps 83:5-8).

You notice that all of Jordan from north to south, Ammon, Moab and Edom are mentioned. Perhaps it is this battle, yet to occur, that destroys Jordan as Obadiah prophesied.

Time till tell. Meanwhile, whenever Jordan is in the news in a way that casts it as an enemy or potential enemy of Israel, perk up, our Redemption draws nigh!
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Posted in judgment, prophecy, rapture

Back to Basics: What is the Rapture?

Posted on by elizabethprata

In this Back to Basics series, I strive to ask and answer common questions of a more basic nature, rather than do what I normally do, which is to study the nuances of scripture in light of current events. I do the latter because we seem to be very far along on God’s timeline in advancing toward the end of the Church Age, and I want bible believing Christians to be aware of the fact of the Church Age’s end, and to be aware of their responsibilities in light of this end. However, because we are so close to the end of the Church Age, that means when we are raptured, billions will be left behind, and a few of those will turn to Christian websites looking for answers. These people will not care about the nuances of prophecy, because a great deal of it will have already come to pass and as for the rest, they will need catching up on, FAST. It is these people for whom I write the Back to Basics series.

The rapture is not mentioned explicitly in much of the bible, though it is hinted at throughout, such as this from Isaiah 26:19: “But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.” The most explicit verses are in:

–1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

–1 Corinthians 15:20-23, “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming.”

–1 Cor. 15:51-52, “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.”

The rapture will be a supernatural event taking place at a date and time no one knows. The 1 Thessalonians verse mentions a trumpet and a shout, but these noises will not be heard by those who are not being called. For these, they will simply be going about their day, perhaps talking directly to a bible-believing Christian, and the believer will simply go ‘poof’ and disappear.

That is the rapture. What the rapture is NOT is Jesus’s Second Coming. In that supernatural event which takes place at the end of the Tribulation (7-year period of judgment on earth), He will physically arrive on earth at the end of the Tribulation to finish the transgression and put an end to sin Himself. In the rapture, Jesus comes to meet us in the air, He does not touch down to earth. He isn’t seen by all, only the believers who are dead and alive.

Where did we go? We were called to heaven by Jesus to be sequestered during the coming Tribulation, another supernatural time in which earth dwellers will experience hell on earth as judgment for their sins. (Isaiah 26:20, Daniel 9:24, John 14:3).

Why did we go? We were called by Jesus to the place He has been preparing for us (John 14:3). We get to go there because of our of belief in the Gospel (that Jesus came to earth to live a sinless life, die on the cross as the sacrificial lamb taking the penalty for our sins, and was resurrected on the third day proving He is God). He has rewarded us for this faith by removing us out of harm’s way before the judgments on sinners begins. Because the Tribulation time after the rapture is a period of judgment of sins, and our sins were forgiven because we believed on Jesus and Gospel, then it stands to reason we would not be here when the wrath begins. He isn’t angry at us. Indeed, we are told told we are not appointed to wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9). The people who were left behind are the ones who refused to believe on Jesus despite all the evidence, and thus remained in their sins, an enemy of God. He will now judge those people and their sins.

You may be surprised by who is left behind. Not all people who went to church, or seemed devout, or had a big position in church such as deacon, or pastor, or bishop, or even pope, are true believers. Actually the bible tells us there will be few real believers. That is because we can only see the outside of a person but Jesus sees the inside. He knows who has truly repented. Many have only made an outward show if it, and that is why they were left behind, They were not really believers in Jesus’s eyes.

The rapture marks the end of the Church Age’s invisible supernatural and the beginning of the visible supernatural. For millennia, the powers, principalities, and princes of the air (demons and their kingdom Ephesians 2:2, Ephesians 6:12), the good angels (Hebrews 13:2), and also Jesus glorified, remained behind the veil invisible to human eyes. Jesus was in heaven and we were on earth and for the most part, the two remained mingled but invisible- but very active! In one case, the Lord in the Old Testament showed Elisha’s servant just how potent and vigorous the activity behind the veil is:

“Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:15-17).

In the Old Testament there were occasional eruptions of the supernatural, the Flood, miracles such as the parting of the Red Sea, the ten plagues of Egypt, Elijah and the Widow at Zarephath where the wheat never ran out, and other examples. We also see the supernatural in Jesus’s ministry on earth for three and a half years and His resurrection, then the Apostles’ miracles. After that, for 2000 years the miraculous and the demonic have largely been invisible from human eyes. But make no mistake, just because they have been invisible, it doesn’t mean they have not been active. At the rapture, the supernatural becomes visible in the form of millions who have instantly disappeared, likely leaving behind their clothes, their vehicles, their glasses, their teeth filings, etc. The remaining 7 years the supernatural will be visible, and in an horrific way, too.

For example, the coming of the antichrist is in full power of false signs and wonders, (21 Thessalonians 2:9), in Revelation 9 demons are let out of the bottomless pit to plague the people on earth, 144,000 Jews are supernaturally sealed and thus protected during this time so they can continue the work of spreading the Gospel (Revelation 7:3-4), rivers and streams will turn to blood, (Revelation 16:4) the sun will go dark (Matthew 24:29-30)…etc. These supernatural events will be seen by one and all.

If you are reading this and are left behind, wondering what happened, you have made an excellent start by turning to a Christian site. However, do not delay in deciding whether what is written here is true or false. The Lord will send a great delusion upon the whole world, “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).

No one knows exactly what that delusion is, but you can see from the verse that it is bad. “Those who perish’ means people who don’t believe in Jesus. It is phrased that way because unforgiven sin in a person means they are spiritually dead and destined for hell. Perishing. This delusion will cause a person to be unable to turn to Jesus in belief for salvation. Since it is so complete and final, and since no on knows exactly when God will send this delusion, don’t wait! The biggest sign that you could receive is the fact that millions are inexplicably missing!! The best and only explanation that fills the bill are the scriptures that foretell this event’s occurrence. What other proof does a person need?

Here are further resources for your study:
GotQuestions.org: What is the rapture of the church?
Bible.org: When Christ comes for His church

Bibles online:
Bible Gateway
Online Parallel Bible

Dictionary of biblical terms. If you want to know what ‘salvation; means, or ‘repent’, or ‘sin’, go to that link for short explanations.

I wrote this because it seems the rapture may be close. How can I know this if the event is signless and imminent (dependent on nothing else for it to occur?) because the prophesies we know will occur during the Tribulation are nearing readiness for fulfillment. On Friday, Dec 30, 2011, I wrote that “The Prophetic Infrastructure is Almost Complete.” In that essay I’d written,

“The infrastructure is being laid. Remember, the Tribulation is only 7 years long. In that time, the global economy is completely changed. The global political structure is completely changed. The temple will be rebuilt and sacrifices ongoing. Old hatreds must be ignited and hot for war. We see that now. Seven years is a short period. In my opinion the infrastructure is being laid now so that when the rapture happens it all will be put together almost instantly.”

In his January 1 sermon and prophecy video, Pastor JD Farag said,referring to the Tribulation judgments on the near-horizon and the current prophetic acceleration, “Everything that is happening, is happening swiftly and even simultaneously. And if you think about it, it really has to happen this fast. Because, there is no way that the antichrist would have enough time during the 7-year tribulation to get everything, to set everything in place. It has to already be in place and ready to go by the time he comes on the scene.” [min 2:35-3:10 approx)

And later in the video at 13:40,

“I think this is about to come to pass. And if we see this now, at this stage, as we reach the end of the age, and it ultimately finds its fulfillment in the 7-year Tribulation, how close are we?” Luke 21:28 says, after listing the signs and the judgments, “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

When these things begin to happen… do not put off deciding on eternity. Jesus is real, He is alive, and He wants to forgive your sins. It is your sin that makes you an enemy of our Holy God.

The website at Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry says “Sin is anything that is contrary to the law or will of God. For example: if you lie, you have sinned. Why? Because God has said not to lie (Exodus 20:16). If you do what God has forbidden, then you have sinned. In addition, if you do not do what God has commanded, you sin (James 4:17). Either way, the result is eternal separation from God (Isaiah 59:2). Sin is lawlessness (1 John 1:3) and unrighteousness (1 John 5:17). Sin leads to bondage (Rom. 6:14-20) and death (Rom. 6:23). Paul, in the book of Romans, discusses sin. He shows that everyone, both Jew and Greek, is under sin (Rom. 3:9). He shows that sin is not simply something that is done, but a condition of the heart (Rom. 3:10-12). In Ephesians Paul says that we are “by nature children of wrath” (Eph. 2:3). Yet, “while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly,” (Rom. 5:6).”

What do you need to do to get saved, preferably NOW before the rapture happens? Here is an explanation

What do I need to do to get saved?
What is salvation?

The best New Year’s resolution you can make is to pray to the Holy Spirit for understanding and conviction of your sins. Conviction just means you consciously know your sins and you feel really bad about them because you know they are crimes against Holy Jesus. Do not delay. Things are happening fast now.

Please feel free to share this essay liberally, and even go to the links I provided because they are better written and sourced. Jesus is the answer. He always has been. Please do not delay so long that you come to understand this after the rapture, or worse, after you die. After the rapture it will be harder to be saved and you likely will die before you’re saved anyway, because the second judgment is war everywhere in the world, and the fourth judgment is death to 1/4 of people in the world. And if you wait so long deciding that you die without having repented, your position is fixed eternally. Join us NOW in salvation, and then join us in looking up, for our Redemption draws nigh!
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Posted in 2011 natural disasters, prophecy

Top five weather events of 2011

Posted on by elizabethprata

The following is an excerpted transcript from a CBS report on year end review of US disasters. Full video below.

Newscasters: “This is a record year for disasters. There were 96 declared disasters in the US, costing billions of dollars lost, and killing more than 1000 people. …  So, 2011, how bad was it?”

Scientist: “Pretty bad. This isn’t the media hyping something. It really was a lot worse. About three to four times as worse in terms of big disasters than we’ve ever seen before.”

#5: Drought: 600,000 cattle were sold off in TX. “It was was the costliest disaster because it went on so long and affected lots of us in various ways.”
#4: Arizona wildfires
#3: Heat wave. Every state hit a record of some kind of record in July. Texas had 100 consecutive days of 100 degree weather. It was not just a US phenomenon, it was a global phenomenon.
#2: Hurricane Irene: It was not the wind, but the rain and floods. “It shut down NY. For the first time ever, all transit was shut down in NYC.”
#1: Tornadoes: 300 people died on one day. Alabama/Missouri hardest hit.

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This review doesn’t mention disasters outside the US, such as the volcanoes, which erupted with sudden and depressing frequency last year. The US wasn’t alone in experiencing flooding. Thailand, Cambodia, Bihar, Orissa, Pakistan, Dublin also had severe floods, and Brazil’s rains spawned deathly mudslides, as this Yahoo year in review reminds us. This article from NY1 says, “Just days after the New Year, a series of mudslides and floods in Brazil bury parts of cities under layers of earth. Nearly 1,000 poor people who live in shacks perched on steep hillsides with no foundations become victims. Heavy, earth-moving rains reportedly bury residents as they sleep in an area about 40 miles north of Rio, making it the worst natural disaster in Brazil’s history.”

The New Zealand Herald reported, “The wrath of nature dominated the start of the year, when the worst floods in Queensland’s history swamped much of the state, displacing hundreds of thousands of people and claiming more than a dozen lives in the Lockyer Valley, west of Brisbane, before inundating the city itself.”

‘The wrath of nature,’ eh?

There was the Chile volcano deadly eruptions that affected both Chile and Argentina, the bird and animal deaths in January-February-March, and though not a natural disaster, it caused a disaster ecologically, the BP oil leak. New islands popped up overnight at Anak Krakatau and in the Red Sea, and almost overnight at El Hierro. There were weird sinkholes, rifts, and ground noises and sky rumbles. Birds fell from the sky and fish washed ashore. Comet Lovejoy passed through the searing heat of the sun’s corona, and survived. The term ‘Coronal Mass Ejection’ was absorbed into the common vocabulary, with its attendant companion, ‘zapped grid.’ There were unusual eclipses of the sun and the moon, meteors and comets weird clouds and weird lights.

Comet Elenin was my most-read post of the year, followed closely by the fake May 21 rapture post and then the Ghost Horse of Tahrir Square.

2012 will be worse. Am I pessimist? No a realist. Jesus said the signs would be as birth pangs. (Matthew 24:8) As any mother knows, birth pangs don’t slow down once they get going. They certainly don’t reverse. No, they press on inexorably toward the inevitable conclusion: birth. What is being birthed here is the rule of Christ on earth in the millennial kingdom, (Rev. 20:4-6). It is the 1000 years of peace He has promised the Jews where Jesus rules and reigns with them. (Isaiah 9:7, 11:4). Ezekiel has much to say about the Millennium Kingdom. Chapters 40-46 describe the Temple and its offerings in detail. These chapters also describe the Priests and the Prince. Chapters 47-48 discuss the land in general, and its distribution among the tribes during the Millennium.

The birth will be bloody and horrible, painful and tortuous. Even now as we take a look back over 2011, we see how terrible the times were and are. But it will birth the full flower of the promises of Jesus to David through covenant. And it will be beautiful. Between now and then, times will be dark, but then they will be Light! I can see through the dark time toward the Light because I have hope in me. I rest with assurance on His promises. “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” (Titus 2:13). If you don’t have Jesus, your view begins and ends in the dark. If you do have Jesus your view is all light, even when it is dark.

Therefore I am happy. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God. (Psalms 146:5).
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Posted in end time, prophecy

Iran to fire long-range missiles during naval war games

Posted on by elizabethprata

I wrote extensively yesterday about the Iran war games in the Strait of Hormuz. It is a tense situation. One spark could catapult the world into a catastrophic series of circumstances. If the Iranians close the Strait then oil prices would double overnight. If one Navy ship from either Iran or the US makes a wrong move within that constricted area, then the entire Fifth Fleet, NATO, UK, France and Iranian ships would be engaged in a battle that would undoubtedly spill over to the nearby Arab states. Anything could go wrong. This week’s escalating situations is not only rhetoric this time. Oh, to be sure, the rhetoric is very heated, there is war of words going on that contain threats very close to actions. Iran has threatened to close the Strait. They have threatened to attack ships that come too close. But actual events are occurring too. Iran is engaged in the biggest naval war games they ever executed.

Now, we learn from Reuters, that “Iran to fire long-range missiles in drill“
“Iran will fire long-range missiles during a naval drill in the Gulf on Saturday, a semi-official news agency reported, a show of force at a time when Iran has threatened to close shipping lanes if the West imposes sanctions on its oil exports. … Iran began a 10-day naval drill in the Gulf last Saturday to show its resolve to counter any attack by foes such as Israel or the United States. Iranian media have said the exercise differed from previous ones in terms of “the vastness of the area of action and the military equipment and tactics that are being employed”.

Haaretz also reported on it: “The testing of the missiles is part of ongoing navy maneuvers in the Persian Gulf and, according to Moussavi, the main and final phase is preparing the navy for confronting the enemy in a warlike situation.”

Meanwhile, In Syria, protesters are making a momentous show of defense. “Hundreds of thousands of Syrians protest; activists say at least 19 killed“
“Hundreds of thousands of Syrians poured into the streets across the nation Friday in the largest protests in months, shouting for the downfall of the regime in a defiant display invigorated by the presence of Arab observers, activists said.Despite the presence of the monitors, activists said Syrian forces killed at least 19 people, most of them shot during anti-government protests.”

They say that the number of Syrian protesters is up to half a million now.

MoneyMorning reported last week that there is an ongoing back door bank run happening in Europe. “On Wednesday, Fitch Ratings Inc. downgraded its credit ratings on five of Europe’s biggest banks, and while that decision made headlines, it’s not the most important story to come out of Europe this week. The real story, which the mainstream media is neglecting, is that there are signs of an underground run on Europe’s banks. Almost nobody’s talking about it, but there are indications money is already moving out of the European Union (EU) faster than rats abandoning a sinking ship. Not through the front door, mind you. There are no lines, no distraught customers and no teller windows being boarded up – not yet, anyway. For now the run is through the back door, and there are four things that make me think so:”

“-Italy’s planned ban on cash transactions over 1,000 euros, or about $1,300.
-French, Spanish, and Italian banks have run out of collateral and are now pledging real assets.
-Swiss officials are preparing for the end of the euro with capital control measures.
-Europe’s CEOs are actively preparing for the end of the euro despite governmental reassurances.”

I wrote about the laying of the prophetic infrastructure earlier today, and how though the rapture is a signless and imminent event and has been throughout all of history, we can see by looking at how close the prophetic infrastructure is to being complete how close we may be to the rapture. Of course, this way of thinking may be all wrong, I am fallible and see through a glass darkly. But with Syria, the global economy, and Iran so heavy in the news it seems to me to be a hopeful portent for Christians, and an ominous portent for unbelievers. Please keep praying with all urgency, please keep living the Godliest life that you can in these dark times. Being holy and sanctified in the face of pessimism, perversion, and hate will stand out like a beacon of light that we are called to be.
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Posted in prophecy, rapture

Prophetic infrastructure almost complete, golden spike soon?

Posted on by elizabethprata

I am readying another blog entry about the news from Iran and Syria which I’ll post in a moment. Both of those nations have huge prophetic parts to play. As I gathered the news about what is happening in the Red Sea, the Strait of Hormuz, and Syria today, I started thinking about prophetic infrastructure.

When I say “prophetic infrastructure” I mean just the same as any infrastructure. “Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function. It can be generally defined as the set of interconnected structural elements that provide framework supporting an entire structure of development.” (Wikipedia).

For there to be the one world economy in Revelation 13 this present economy must somehow become inoperable or done away with. We see that now. For there to be a one world religion there must be an acceptance of ecumenism. We see that now. For there to be a one world dictator there must be fear and discontent in the world combined with erosion of freedoms. We see that now. The infrastructure is being laid. Remember, the Tribulation is only 7 years long. In that time, the global economy is completely changed. The global political structure is completely changed. The temple will be rebuilt and sacrifices ongoing. Old hatreds must be ignited and hot for war. We see that now. Seven years is a short period. In my opinion the infrastructure is being laid now so that when the rapture happens it all will be put together almost instantly.

The Lord moves His hand and a piece here and a piece there draw closer together and soon the system the infrastructure was meant to support is able to get up and running. I like to think in pictures and I visualize the Transcontinental railroad. Stay with me here.

“The First Transcontinental railroad line built in the United States of America between 1863 and 1869 by the Central Pacific Railroad of California and the Union Pacific Railroad that connected its statutory Eastern terminus at Council Bluffs, Iowa/Omaha, Nebraska with the Pacific Ocean at Oakland, California. By linking with the existing railway network of the Eastern United States, the road thus connected the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the United States by rail for the first time.”

One group began on the eastern side of the US and the other side began on the western side, all the while blasting mountains, leveling hills, building bridges, and laying ties and rails. The whole time the two groups were moving toward each other. The people in the vast part of the US could not actually see the action. Many did not even know it was happening, unless they read a paper. The two rail lines drawing inexorably close to each other were real but invisible to the people.

Then the two groups began to get within sight of each other and excitement grew. People could actually see the progress now and started buzzing with excitement at the import. When the two lines actually met up, there was a huge ceremony, at which the last spike was pounded, representing the finality of the infrastructure building phase and the beginning of the actual use. The First Transcontinental Railroad was now a reality. The last spike was golden. “In perhaps the world’s first live mass-media event, the hammers and spike were wired to the telegraph line so that each hammer stroke would be heard as a click at telegraph stations nationwide—the hammer strokes were missed, so the clicks were sent by the telegraph operator. As soon as the ceremonial spike had been replaced by an ordinary iron spike, a message was transmitted to both the East Coast and West Coast that simply read, “DONE.” The country erupted in celebration upon receipt of this message. Travel from coast to coast was reduced from six months or more to just one week.”

This is like what the Lord is doing now, if I may be so bold as to make this metaphor. Prophecy by and large is invisible to most, but it is very real. Every hammer of the spike into a rail brings it closer to fulfillment. When it gets toward the end, it garners notice, celebration, and a knowledge that the final spike will bring inexpressible change. The Lord moves His hand and here in the world occurs an Arab Spring, and over there is an earthquake. Over to the north a bank run and to the south an atheist president elected. To the common person, we cannot see how these events will coalesce but the Lord does. He is laying the infrastructure even now. When that last, golden Christian is saved, the infrastructure will be complete.

We know from Romans 11:25 that the Lord has a certain number in mind for His church. When that number is reached, He will call His bride up to Himself. We do not know how close we are to that number and thus we don’t know how close we are to the rapture. It is a signless event and it is imminent. But we can see from other circumstances, for example, how and where the Lord is working in the world in simultaneously laying His infrastructure for prophetic fulfillment post-Church Age, and to me it seems close.

The Last Christian to be saved will close the church age, the full number of the Gentiles having been reached. Is the Lord readying the golden spike even now, lifting up the hammer to put into place the final bit of prophetic foundation?

We are all eagerly waiting.

source

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Posted in bible jesus, prophecy

New island in Red Sea: other weird geophysical changes happening in that area too

Posted on by elizabethprata

All the news outlets are reporting this today, a stunning new development in the Red Sea. I’ll post one article and then continue below with connecting the unusual seismic activity that has been ongoing in that region for over a year. And of course, connect it with the bible…

Brand new island rises from Red Sea depths

“Throw away that shiny new atlas you got for Christmas – it’s already out of date.”

“Volcanic activity in the Red Sea is causing the formation of a new island in the Zubair archipelago as lava is cooled by the surrounding seawater and solidifies. The underwater volcano responsible is located on the Red Sea Rift, where the African and Arabian tectonic plates are slowly pulling apart.”

“Yemeni fishermen first spotted lava spewing 30 metres into the air on 19 December and this was later confirmed by satellite observations. Ash plumes were detected by NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer aboard its Terra and Aqua satellites and NASA’s Advanced Land Imager aboard its Earth Observing One satellite, which produced this image. Elevated levels of sulphur dioxide in the region were also recorded by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument aboard NASA’s Aura satellite.”

“By 23 December, the lava mass had broken the water’s surface and the new island had begun to take shape. The island is currently around 500m wide and is still growing. The question now is whether or not it has staying power. It may continue to grow significantly as volcanic activity continues, or the fragile lava mass may be broken up by the action of the sea’s waves.”

“Whatever the outcome, volcanic activity in the Red Sea region appears to be on the rise. This is the first time the volcano has erupted in over a century and follows recent eruptions in the Afar Triangle in Eritrea and Ethiopia and the volcanic fields of southern Yemen and Saudi Arabia. In 2007, the nearby Jabal al-Tair volcanic island also erupted for the first time in over a century, killing 8 people.”

If you remember, there has also been another volcanic island rising from the deep, over at El Hierro in the Canary Islands. And in November last year a new island emerged from the sea in just a few days at Indonesia at Anak Krakatau. I wrote about that, here.

Back to the Red Sea.

In December 2010 I wrote about unusual seismic activity occurring in the area off Eritrea in the Red Sea. I’d written,
“In 2005, the continent of Africa began unzipping. In just days, a 35-mile-long rift opened up, which was 20 miles wide at spots. It happened quickly and initially, scientists surmised that a new sea was growing. However, this assessment as controversial, because their understanding of plate tectonics holds a longer and a slower view. In other words, continents don’t move and split apart in days, it takes millions of years. Or so they thought. In November of 2009, scientists concluded that indeed, the continent of Africa is birthing a new sea, and that was when they used the word “unzipped.” More on this below.

At the Horn of Africa in November 2010, an earthquake swarm at Yemen caused alarm. The swarm was situated at the opening to the Red Sea at the Gulf of Aden, and seemed to be an unusual place for seismic activity. According to the history of the area, at USGS, the Yemen-Gulf of Aden-Djibouti area IS seismic, but in a minor way. Between 1950 through yesterday this area had 56 earthquakes ranging between mag 4.0-5.9. There were no quakes greater than mag 5.9 during that date range. Now there have been 31, which is 2/3 as many as in the last sixty years. This is statistically significant, as well as prophetically interesting. (Mark 13:8). It should be noted that this is the exact area where a new island has now emerged a year later.

In my opinion, there are two ways that this is prophetically interesting. First, Jesus told us plainly that in the last days of the birthpangs, there will be earthquakes in diverse places. Beyond the unusual geophysical changes occurring with rifts suddenly opening, and unusual earthquake activity that has never been replicated historically, but at the other end of the rift at this same time last year, a 5.1 mag earthquake occurred in Ethiopia, which is the other end of the rapidly “unzipping” rift. The area highlighted above is definitely diverse.

Secondly, the bible shows us that the Tribulation will be a time of massive geophysical changes. Revelation 16:20 prophesies that every island flees away and every mountain crumbles. So do Revelation 6 and Ezekiel 38:20. Isaiah 24 is the chapter that describes the destruction of the world by God, “The LORD’s Devastation of the Earth.” Remember, when the world was formed it looked very different. After the flood the land masses had changed dramatically.

As to the slow vs. catastrophic plate tectonics competing theories, many current observations are incompatible with slow-and-gradual plate tectonics. The unzipping of the African Rift is just one example. It is happening before our eyes.

Answers in Genesis explains:

Is Catastrophic Plate Tectonics Biblical?
“The Bible does not directly mention either continental drift or plate tectonics. However, if the continents were once joined together, as suggested by Genesis 1:9–10, and are now apart, then the only possibility is continental division and “sprint” during the Flood. Some have suggested this continental division occurred after the Flood during the days of Peleg when “the earth was divided” (Genesis 10:25). However, this Hebrew expression can be also translated to mean “lands being divided among peoples,” which, according to the context, refers to the results of the Tower of Babel judgment. Furthermore, the destruction at the earth’s surface, where people and animals were then living during such a rapid continental “sprint,” would have been as utterly devastating as the Flood itself. Therefore, using catastrophic plate tectonics as a model, mechanism, and framework to describe and understand the Genesis Flood event is far more reasonable and is also consistent with the Bible.”

It is the supposition of many eschatology bible scholars that the geo-physical changes that will occur in the Tribulation not only will be punishment for sin (Isaiah 24), but also a process by which the Lord reforms the earth back to its original state. (Rev 21-22). Ezekiel 47 describes the Millennial River that forges a path between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea. (see map here). Rapid geological and geo-physical changes are prophesied and are already beginning. Keep looking up.
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Posted in bible jesus, prophecy, state of the church

State of the Church part 5a: When carnality leads to spiritual abuse

Posted on by elizabethprata

By Elizabeth Prata

State of the Church:
Part 1: Introduction, Love growing cold
Part 2: Are you tending your anchor?
Part 3: The numbers aren’t good
Part 4: Carnal Carnival, & the greatest sin pastors commit
Part 5a: When carnality leads to spiritual abuse
Part 5b: Is your church spiritually abusive?
Conclusion: Spiritual Leaders and Humble Relationships

We have been exploring Jesus’ end time prophecy in Matthew 24:12, which says, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold,” and looked at how this prophecy applies to believers. We explored the incremental drifting away from Jesus and how that impacts our selves and our churches. In part 3 we looked at the numbers of surveyed born-again believers who state they hold to a biblical worldview and found that it was 8-9%. When you have 91-92% of a congregation that has in some part a secular worldview you are in for trouble, and part 4 looked at that trouble: carnality.

Carnality is described by GotQuestions as “translated from the Greek word sarkikos, which literally means “fleshly.” This descriptive word is seen in the context of Christians in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3. In this passage, the apostle Paul is addressing the readers as “brethren,” a term he uses almost exclusively to refer to other Christians; he then goes on to describe them as “carnal.” Therefore, we can conclude that Christians can be carnal. The Bible is absolutely clear that no one is sinless (1 John 1:8). Every time we sin, we are acting carnally. … Until we are delivered from our sinful flesh, there will be outbreaks of carnality. For a genuine believer in Christ, though, these outbreaks of carnality will be the exception, not the rule.”

It is my contention that love is growing cold because these outbreaks of carnality in Christians are becoming the rule. They are now more than outbreaks, they are the norm. Carnality and secular worldviews lead to apostasy, something else we are told will happen in the last days. 2 Timothy 4:10 shows us that it a worldly spirit that tends to make apostates.

Sanctification is the process of the Holy Spirit taking a believer away from carnality and toward Christ-likeness. To the degree that Christians are submitting to the Holy Spirit’s authority, sanctification occurs. “Sanctification is the process by which the Holy Spirit makes us more like Christ in all that we do, think, and desire. True sanctification is impossible apart from the atoning work of Christ on the cross because only after our sins are forgiven can we begin to lead a holy life.” (Source CARM.org)

The more drenched you are in the biblical worldview the faster the process of sanctification goes. The more a Christian holds to a secular worldview and who sins willfully or unrepentingly, the slower sanctification goes.

“Sanctification is an intrinsic thing; it lies chiefly in the heart. It is called ‘the adorning the hidden man of the heart.’ 1 Peter 3:4. Sanctification is an intense and ardent thing. … Its properties burn within the believer. ‘Fervent in spirit.’ Rom 12:11. Sanctification is not a dead form, but it is inflamed into zeal. We call water hot, when it is so in the third or fourth degree; so he is holy whose religion is heated to some degree, and his heart boils over in love to God.” ~Thomas Watson. (online source)

When love grows cold, it means the sanctification process has slowed or stalled. We see Jesus’s rebuke of the Church at Ephesus for their love growing cold.

Rev 2:4-5, “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.”

So, “what was the matter in Ephesus? Christ found a fatal fault that probably nobody else saw. Their hard hearts, that labor of passion and fervor was becoming the cold orthodox function. That was deadly, dangerous. The service had started to become mechanical.” Sermon ‘When Love Grows Cold’ (Grace To You)

The condition of the heart is something only known to Jesus. He could see that their ardor had cooled and they were beginning to let tradition set in. “You don’t love Me like you once loved Me. Your love has cooled. That, beloved, is the forerunner of spiritual apathy. That is the forerunner of indifference. And that is the greatest fear that I have for this church for that is step one that moves you through the rest of the steps that you see in these churches into a love for the world, compromise with evil, corruption, death and judgment. … repent because to lose your first love is sin. The decreasing intensity of your love for Christ is sin. Lack of loving Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength is sin. Repent, get on your knees before God and ask Him to forgive you for that weakening love.” Sermon ‘When Love Grows Cold’ (Grace To You)

Here is the sad, downward trend:

Apathy gives rise to churches who have stalled in their process of submission to Christ and so are apathetic in their studies. Therefore allow an authoritarian pastor to take over. They still want someone to tell them what’s what, but they have left their first love (Jesus), so the pastor will suffice. If a church is going to be abused by an authoritarian pastor, it would begin now. Having a large group that is more worldly than not, is either apathetic or ignorant of the biblical duties of a pastor, they allow him to take more spiritual authority than he is given by God.

Now, I will say that I have never been a lifelong fan of the word abuse. Everyone and their brother says today that they have been abused, and while that may or may be actually true for the many people, I’ve always been a proponent of sucking it up and getting on without much fuss. But the issue I’ve uncovered through researching this series about the effects on the church of love growing cold has shown me clearly that spiritual abuse, or if it makes you more comfortable, its synonym, authoritarianism, is not only present today, but it is just as rampant as it was in the days of Jesus confronting the Pharisees. It breaks my heart. Since discovering this, I have cried on behalf of the abused and the sinning pastors while praying every night. So is Spiritual Abuse a new phenomenon or is it biblical?

“David Henke notes in “Spiritual Abuse in the Bible?” Spiritual abuse has a very prominent place in the Bible, though that terminology has not been used until recently. In the scripture it is called bondage to men and the traditions of men. It is a by-product and outgrowth of legalism, which is bondage to the letter of the law.”

Jesus mourned that the people had no shepherd. (Matthew 9:35-38; Mark 6:33-34; John 10:11-13). Every town had a synagogue if the town had eleven men, so there were shepherds, the priests were the shepherds. What Jesus was mourning was their lack of compassion, their penchant for abuse by instituting legalistic rules, and their selfishness, self-aggrandizement and vanity. The shepherds were no shepherds. The problem was that the religious system had been corrupted by men to the extent that they were abusive, hypocritical, lordly legalistic shepherds who harm and not help the flock. These scriptures speak to the shepherds who not only harm but scatter the sheep: Ezekiel 34:1-24, Zechariah 11, Jeremiah 5:26-31, 1 Peter 5:1-4.” (online source).

So we see that though the term is modernized it is a very old problem. And everything old is new again. Though we are told many times in the New Testament that wolves will be among us, Christians usually take that to mean, out there, or at best, in other churches. But it is not so. Wolves will be among us, everywhere. (Mt 7:15).

“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.  Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.” (Acts 20:28-31).

The Pharisees and Scribes were poster children for abusive spiritual authorities. “[I]f you look at Ezekiel and Isaiah and Jeremiah, was that they were not using the authority they had been given for the benefit of the weak, for those who didn’t have a voice. They were using their authority for their own purposes and for the sake of human kingdoms. The result in people’s lives then was the same as now: spiritual exhaustion rooted in misconceptions about who God is, about what God wants from us and about God’s stance toward us. … in Matthew 23 he not only describes the dynamics that were going on between the Pharisees and the people, but he also warns people about the Pharisees.” (Source)

So we know the path that leads to love growing cold and what a sin it is. We know that it is prophesied to be rampant in the last days. In this post we looked at the biblical history of the constant problem of authoritarian pastors and worthless hireling shepherds. In the next post I will discuss what spiritual abuse is, how frequent it is, and look at list specifics as to what constitutes the warning signals of authoritarianism in the church, or spiritual abuse.

Part 1: Introduction, Love growing cold
Part 2: Are you tending your anchor?
Part 3: The numbers aren’t good
Part 4: Carnal Carnival, & the greatest sin pastors commit
Part 5a: When carnality leads to spiritual abuse
Part 5b: Is your church spiritually abusive?
Conclusion: Spiritual Leaders and Humble Relationships

Posted in DEBKA, jesus, mines, prophecy

DEBKA says Iran may be salting Hormuz with mines

Posted on by elizabethprata

If that headline doesn’t put fear into your stomach, I don’t know what will.

However, DEBKA has a track record of being more rumor than not. However there I have confirmed several elements of their report, while not being able to confirm the mining part. Let’s sort out the information to see what has credibility and what doesn’t. The report is making huge waves and even Ynet picked up on it, which is a legitimate news outlet, so let’s take this lobster apart.

DEBKA: who is DEBKA? DEBKAfile describes themselves as “founded by a team of journalists in June 2000 as an independent Internet Web site, providing an intelligence and security news service.” Wikipedia describes them as “a Jerusalem-based English language Israeli open source military intelligence website with commentary and analyses on terrorism, intelligence, security, and military and political affairs in the Middle East. The word “Debka” refers to an Arab folk dance.”

They correctly note that most of their sources are anonymous, a non-no in journalism. “Israeli intelligence officials do not consider even 10 percent of the site’s content to be reliable. Cornell Law professor Michael C. Dorf calls Debka his “favorite alarmist Israeli website trading in rumors.” The site’s operators, in contrast, state that 80 percent of what Debka reports turns out to be true, and point to its year 2000 prediction that al-Qaeda would again strike the World Trade Center, and that it had warned well before the 2006 war in Lebanon that Hezbollah had amassed 12,000 Katyusha rockets pointed at northern Israel.”

So there you have the pro and the con of DEBKAfile. Let’s take a look at their predictions, rather than their descriptions.

This blogger has listed four years’ worth of DEBKA warnings that have failed to come true. He says of Debkafile, “where war always looms in the foggy but near future.” Of this warning from 2008, the blogger notes the headline from DEBKAfile- “Three major US naval strike forces due this week in Persian Gulf“, ‘DEBKAfile’s military sources name the three US strike forces en route to the Gulf as the USS Theodore Roosevelt, the USS Ronald Reagan and the USS Iwo Jima. Already in place are the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea opposite Iranian shores and the USS Peleliu which is cruising in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden’ and he comments, “Disturbing news! Or rather it would be, except that the USS Theodore Roosevelt is docked at Norfolk.”

In today’s warning, DEBKA opened their report with the following, “Thursday afternoon, Dec. 29, Tehran raised the pitch of its threats to the United States when Dep. Chief of the Revolutionary Guards Gen. Hossein Salami declared: “The United States is in no position to tell Tehran what to do in the Strait of Hormuz,” adding, “Any threat will be responded [to] by threat… We will not relinquish our strategic moves in Iran’s vital interests are undermined by any means. “The Iranian general spoke after the USS John C. Stennis aircraft carrier and its strike group passed through the Strait of Hormuz to the Sea of Oman and into the area where the big Iranian naval war game Veleyati 90 is taking place.”

This is true. The quote about threats is confirmed in many newspapers, this being just one. I worked hard to confirm that the USS Stenis is indeed in the waters DEBKA says they are, and the carrier is indeed part of the Fifth Fleet stationed at nearby Bahrain and in those waters. Confirmation is here: “Lt. Rebecca Rebarich, a spokeswoman for the U.S. 5th Fleet, said the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis and guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay headed out from the Persian Gulf and through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, after a visit to Dubai’s Jebel Ali port.” And also here.

The DEBKA report continued, “Earlier Thursday, Dec. 29, DEBKAfile reported that an Iranian plan to mine the Strait of Hormuz had put US and NATO forces in the Persian Gulf on the alert. US and NATO task forces in the Persian Gulf have been placed on alert after US intelligence warned that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards are preparing Iranian marine commandos to sow mines in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The new deployment, DEBKAfile’s military sources report, consists of USS Combined Task Force 52 (CTF 52), which is trained and equipped for dismantling marine mines and NATO Maritime Mine Counter measures Group 2 (SNMCMG2). The American group is led by the USS Arden mine countermeasures ship; NATO’s by the British HMS Pembroke minesweeper. Other vessels in the task forces are the Hunt-class destroyer HMS Middleton and the French mine warfare ships FS Croix du Sud and FS Var.”

It was here I ran into problems. First, sowing mines would harm Iran, who relies on exporting oil through that strait as much as anyone, and so does Iran’s neighbors. Mining it would seem to be counterproductive and an inefficient way to choke off the Western use of the Strait, especially when there are other means Iran can use to do the job. But what do I know I’m not a military analyst. I’m just a woman blogging in her pajamas.

Given DEBKA’s history of putting the wrong ship in the wrong waters, I took some time to confirm that USS Combined Task Force 52 (CTF 52), NATO Maritime Mine Counter measures Group 2 (SNMCMG2) are indeed part of the Fifth Fleet. I had already confirmed through two other news articles that the USS Stennis is where DEBKA says it is. I didn’t bother looking up the British or French ships, searching through US ships was difficult enough

As for the USS Arden, I found nothing. After going to the Wikipedia list of all Navy ships currently in commission, I found that there is no USS Arden, but a USS Ardent. USS Ardent is a minesweeper. So they got the name wrong, but the ship class right. I went to the Navy website and USS Ardent is deployed at this time to Bahrain, which is its homeport.

In several articles I read things like ‘the USS Stennis passed through the Strait of Hormuz with escorts” or “the USS Stennis passed through the Strait of Hormuz with supply ships” but where those other ships were listed (USS Mobile Bay) the USS Ardent never was.

Ynet is a very credible Israeli new outlet. In today’s article they seemed to quote DEBKA, saying “The Islamic republic is halfway through 10 days of navy exercises in international waters to the east of the strait that have reportedly included the laying of mines and the use of aerial drones.”

As for the likelihood that Iran is salting the Strait of Hormuz with mines, I don’t know. I don’t think DEBKA knows. Here is what is do know, though, The tension at that area of the world is at an unbearable level. Any spark could set it off. As NPR succinctly concluded, “The Strait is a 50-kilometre (31 mile) wide passageway through which about a third of the world’s oil tanker traffic sails. Whoever controls this crucial choke-point virtually controls Middle East oil exports.”

Here are some of today’s headlines about the situation:

Iran Rebuffs US Warning on Strait of Hormuz as Tensions Rise

Iran ramps up war of words with U.S. over Strait of Hormuz: ‘Any threat will be responded by threat’

Gas price shoots up to $3.49 in Tri-Cities (“A rise in crude oil prices and tension between the U.S. and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz are possibly contributing to the increase cost.”)

[An actual blockade would double the price overnight.]

Iran Says It Recorded Video Of US Aircraft Carrier

Between the genocide in Syria and the tense faceoff between the US Navy and the Iranian Navy, it surely feels like war could erupt at any moment. This is an interesting piece from HuffPo yesterday:

The Coming Accidental War with Iran
“…due to the lack of understanding between our government and Iranian leaders who have been isolated from the rest of the world, war will not be a decision, but a mistake.”

God has a plan for the world, for Iran and the other Arab states,and for Israel. He does not make mistakes. What is unfolding is exactly according to what we see in Obadiah, Isaiah 17, Ezekiel 38-39, Matthew 24, Psalm 83 and many other bible books and parts of books. The issue is, because we so vividly see the prophesied Tribulation events unfolding in preparation for fulfillment, how much closer then, is the rapture? And the other important question is,

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