Tag Archives: Joe Biden

October 3, 2021 · 10:00

The End Is Not Yet

All these are the beginning of sorrows. (Matthew 24:8)

Jesus faced the final week of His earthly ministry, and the looming shadow of the cross lay just a few days ahead. He had just capped off His final conversation with the Jewish religious leaders with a scathing pronouncement. “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation” (Matthew 23:33-36, emphasis mine). That is a pretty harsh accusation coming from the sweet and gentle Jesus! He associated them with the original serpent in the Garden of Eden.[1] Notice too, that He claims to be the One who sends prophets to them. Is it not God who sends the prophets? Well, I believe that is the point!

When we study the Old Testament, we learn of God’s struggle and patience with Israel and Judah. Jesus takes on that role as well. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord” (Matthew 23:37-39, emphasis mine).

Jesus knows what lies ahead for Israel, and His disciples wanted to know that too. “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matthew 24:3).

Surprisingly, instead of launching right into a long discourse of the last days, Jesus issued a warning. “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you” (Matthew 24:4, emphasis mine). It seems that the most outstanding feature of the last days is deception. Jesus speaks of wars and rumors of wars, ethnic group against ethnic group, and kingdom (country/nation) against kingdom, but that is just the beginning.[2] The main problem is deception. Jesus goes on to speak of the rise of false preachers and false christs, an increase in wickedness and the loss of love. These false christs and false prophets will perform wonders such that “if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect,”[3] i.e., Christians.

We live in days of great deception. If you do not see it, you are either not paying attention, or you are deceived yourself. Our government lies to us. Our politicians lie to us. Government health agencies lie to us. The news media lie to us. We need to be alert and discerning these days to see the truth hidden among the lies.

The news media diverts our attention from the chaos around the world, but more importantly, the activity around the Middle East, the “cradle of civilization” and the focal point of end-times prophecy.

I follow several good end-times prophecy teachers, but one of my favorites is Amir Tsarfati,[4] founder and president of Behold Israel Ministry. Amir is a native Israeli and a reserve officer in the IDF (I believe he is a major, but not sure about his rank). His home in Israel overlooks the Jezreel Valley, aka, the Valley of Armageddon, so he has a very unique and acute perspective on end-times prophecy and how it relates to current events, especially in Israel and the Middle East. I follow Amir on the Telegram ™ app where he posts current events as they take place in the Middle East. The kind of coverage he provides will not be carried by the mainstream news media. For example, yesterday Amir shared this headline: “’War with Israel already started’ says Iranian FM spokesman: A spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry told Maariv that a solution must be found for regional issues according to UN resolutions.”[5]

That is only one example. There are wars and rumors of wars all over the world. Since the fall of the great United States under the Biden regime, China is advancing undeterred on Taiwan, and making deals for lithium with the Taliban government of Afghanistan. North Korea is testing its hypersonic missiles. Iran is on the brink of developing a nuclear bomb, and threating Israel. Russia (Magog of Ezekiel 38) along with Turkey are well entrenched in Syria. Australia has gone totalitarian on its citizens (who cannot fight back because their firearms have been confiscated). To top it off, the world is invading our southern border.

With all of this going on, “the end is not yet.” In Matthew 24, Jesus describes the conditions before His second coming when He will set up His earthly reign for 1000 years.[6] What we are witnessing now are just “the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:8). Things will get a lot worse during the seven-year Tribulation. “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matthew 24:21-22).

Except for the fact that we have friends and loved ones that are lost without Christ that will go through the Tribulation (if they do not die and go to hell first), Christians should not fear the trouble that is ahead for the rest of the world. Jesus promised, “I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Revelation 3:10). We cannot know when that will be, but when we see what is taking place in the world, we can know that the time for our departure is very near.

Reader, if you are unsure of your prospect for eternity, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1]  Genesis 3:1

[2]  Matthew 24:6-7

[3]  Matthew 24:11-12, 23-24

[4]  https://beholdisrael.org/about/amir-tsarfati/

[5]  https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/war-with-israel-already-started-says-iranian-fm-spokesman-680796

[6]  Revelation 20:1-7

Comments Off on The End Is Not Yet

Filed under Apologetics, Christianity, Current Events, Death, End Times, Eschatology, Hell, Rapture, Salvation, Second Coming of Christ, Theology

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

August 29, 2021 · 10:00

Who Cares About You?

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7)

With all the COVID shutdowns, mask mandates, and constant browbeating about taking experimental and unproven injections, it seems that many have become convinced that the government propaganda is really intended for our wellbeing. After all, realizing that the lockdowns caused great financial burdens on families throughout the nation, our government stepped in and sent money to almost every family. I even received a check even though I did not need it. Then when job losses lingered, our government provided generous unemployment checks to all those affected by the lockdowns they imposed. So generous were the unemployment benefits, that when things started to open up, and businesses needed workers, few were willing to go back to work because the unemployment checks were better the money they could earn working.

What a wonderful caring government we have that wants to take care of its people! It matters not at all that the government has no money to just give away. The government has no means by which to produce wealth. It only has what money it takes from taxpayers, and here in America, the number of taxpayers continues to decline while freeloaders increase. What the government cannot collect from taxpayers, it just arbitrarily and indiscriminately prints to make up the difference. But, the people do not care, as long as they have they have beer money and some left over for groceries. Why, they do not even have to pay their rent because big brother will take care of that too.

So, if big brother says to take a shot because it is for your own good, they are more than happy to get in line for their turn. However, these who believe their government values their wellbeing, are blissfully ignorant of a human flaw that makes those in positions of power avaricious of greater power. One way they achieve greater power is to appease the masses by providing carefree sustenance and a sense of equity among all. “You will own nothing, and you’ll be happy.”[1]

But do not be fooled. The government does not care about you. The government wants to control you, and you are happily going along with it. You wear your mask when told to and even when not told to, just make sure no one gets offended. You line up and take your jab as every good comrade, I mean citizen, should. What you do not know is that the mask is useless against the Coronavirus, or any virus for that matter.[2] In fact, Dr. Fauci said that at the very start of the plandemic. Another bit of information kept from you are the number bad outcomes from the injections – miscarriages in pregnant women, neurological problems which are irreversible, blood clotting, heart problems and even death.[3] These facts are recorded and made public by the CDC, but your government cares so much about you that it does not want to worry you. Just take the jab and trust your government.

This last week provided us with a perfect example of how much our government cares about its people. In a sudden, though not unexpected, move, our President decided to pull all of our troops out of Afghanistan. I do not know of many who believe we should have been there as long as we have been. Russia spent many years in that place and accomplished nothing. So, why did we think we could do better? Once we got Osama Bin Laden, we should have pulled out in an orderly manner, of course. However, there are those that profit from war and they “support” politicians that support them. “Oh! The tangled webs we weave!” Our government makes a big to-do about our fallen and wounded heroes, but if it really cared about them, it would not keep sending them off to fight senseless wars. And what about the wounded families at home? They get a folded flag and a litany of pointless platitudes. Our people honor their heroes more than the government does. Many non-profit organizations provide for the needs of our fallen and wounded warriors, while our government cares more for illegal border crossers (potential Democrat voters) than for our own service men and women.

So suddenly, and without warning our troops are withdrawn from Afghanistan without first removing our civilians that are in that country, or those Afghanis that assisted our troops. They have been left to their own resources to get themselves to the extraction point through a gauntlet of Taliban rebels.

I will reserve further comment about this bone-headed operation.  It really churns my innards. One can find no greater proof than this that your government cares nothing for its people. Britain, France, Germany, and others went right in and rescued their people, but not the “superpower” with the greatest military in the world.

You know what? Your government does not care about you. Who cares about you? God does, and the sooner you get a grip on that great truth, the happier you will be. God loves you so much, that He took on human flesh, lived a sinless life, and gave His life to cover your sins. And if you will place your faith and trust in Him, He has secured a place for you in His presence for eternity. Your government has not done that for you! If you do not know Him, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1]  https://off-guardian.org/2020/11/12/own-nothing-and-be-happy-the-great-resets-vision-of-the-future/

[2]  There is more than sufficient documentation on this matter that the reader can find with a little effort.

[3]  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/adverse-events.html

Comments Off on Who Cares About You?

Filed under Christianity, Current Events, Gospel, Politics, Random Musings, Salvation, Theology

Tagged as , , , , ,

January 31, 2021 · 10:00

Get Ready!

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. (John 15:18)

Get ready! The days of easy Christianity are gone. The Demonrats have taken the reins of power in the government and they intend to punish those who supported President Trump. These include registered Republicans, Conservatives, and Christians. A group calling themselves the Secular Democrats of America sent a letter[1] to Joe Biden demanding a clamp-down of conservative Christians, removing them from public office, and “re-educating” Trump voters. They insist that the “Biden administration must ‘educate the American public,’ particularly those identified as the ‘religious right,’ on the need to keep their “religious dogma” to themselves. The document calls for a purge of social conservatives from all levels of government, labeling them as ‘white nationalist’ and ‘conspiracy theorists.’”

How that will affect Christians[2] remains to be seen, however, the sentiment is there, and it is strong. I do not believe I am hyperbolic when I say the Democrat Party is satanically motivated. It is also not fair to paint all Democrats with the same broad brush. Surely, a small handful exist that do not lean hard left, but the majority do. Hence, the moniker I have given them, “Demonrats.”

It will not be long before the persecution of Christians begins in America. In some ways it already has. The question is how will “pudgy” American Christians stand up to persecution? Our Christian brothers and sisters all over the world suffer persecution now. What makes us think we are exempt?

I believe Christians will escape the coming seven-year Tribulation. However, we cannot know when Jesus will come to Rapture His Bride, His Church, out of this world. We will not suffer the full horrors of the Tribulation, but we may need to endure some persecution before that time comes.

Get ready! Arm yourself with the Word of God. “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11) The first piece of armor is the support belt of truth. The belt supports your abdomen and back to help you stand straight. It is composed of “truth” that comes from the Word of God, who is Christ (John 14:6). Next comes the breastplate, i.e., body armor, meant to protect your heart. That piece is made up of righteousness, i.e., “right living,” a “right attitude,” a “right outlook.” That too comes from the consumption of the Word of God. After that, you need sturdy footwear to help you stand when the terrain gets rough. That comes from “the Gospel of Peace.” You will have to carry the shield of faith to deflect the incoming missiles the devil will send your way. You need to protect your head, your mind. For that, you need the helmet of salvation. That comes from having the assurance that you are saved and that your Captain has your back. All of these are defensive “weapons” that you need to keep in good working order. Finally, you need to take up your only offensive weapon, he “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). Jesus encouraged us not to worry about what to answer when questioned. “But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you” (Matthew 10:19-20, emphasis mine). If you were paying attention you would have noticed that all the pieces of armor are anchored in one way or another to the Word of God. If you are not daily in the Word, you will run out of ammo very quickly. Get ready!

This weekend I listened to Jan Markell’s interview with Pastors Tom Hughes and Mark Henry. They have a timely message to prepare us for what is coming. I hope you will take the time to listen to it all the way through. Get ready!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZg_cRa3AYc

Notes:

[1] https://drrichswier.com/2020/12/16/democrat-document-surfaces-demanding-biden-clamp-down-on-conservative-christians-remove-them-from-public-office-and-re-educate-trump-voters/

[2]  When I say “Christians” I am referring to true, Bible-believing, born-again believers and not necessarily those affiliated with mainline. liberal Protestant denominations.

1 Comment

Filed under Christianity, Current Events, End Times, Gospel, Politics, Religion, Satan, Second Coming of Christ, Theology

Tagged as , , , , , ,

January 24, 2021 · 10:00

Romans 13

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. (Romans 13:1)

January 20, 2021 saw the first successful coup d’état to unseat a legitimate sitting President of the United States in history, and replace him with an illegitimate puppet of the left. I realize that is a strong statement and many may disagree, but, for the time being, the First Amendment to the Constitution still grants me the right to say it.

I heard from a friend earlier this week who was upset with his pastor for condemning the President Trump supporters that showed up in Washington DC on January 6 as unlawful rioters. Trump supporters showed up by the thousands to “encourage” lawmakers to only count “legal” votes. They met on the Mall about a mile away from the Capitol and listened to speeches and raised their voices loudly hoping that “their representatives” in Congress would hear their voices. Their protests were vocal but peaceful. President Trump also spoke to the masses. He encouraged them to “fight” but the context, which the media overlooked, did not imply physical violence, but rather to struggle (“fight”) for the right through the means made available by our Constitution. President Trump did not incite the riot for which he has been accused.

Meanwhile, while President Trump was still speaking, a mile away from the Capitol Building, ANTIFA thugs dressed as Trump supporters surrounded the Capitol and began their assault on the Police guarding the Capitol. Later, many of the Trump supporters made their way to the Capitol to continue their peaceful protest. Several of them unwittingly got swept up with the ANTIFA thugs and ended up going into the Capitol Building with the real rioters. Because a small number of Trump supporters were implicated with the ANTIFA rioters, the media found an easy scapegoat to blame for the riot and assault on the nation’s Capitol. The Trump supporters got the blame and ANTIFA went unmentioned.

So, Pastor Bob (not his real name), my friend’s pastor, ignorantly hopped on the media bandwagon and condemned the Trump supporters for rioting and behaving unlawfully. Biblically, I believe that is called “bearing false witness” against your brother – brother because I am sure that many of the Trump supporters are Christians. From there, Pastor Bob launched into a sermon on Romans 13 that deals with a Christian’s responsibility to submit to the governing authorities.

I have wrestled with this passage for many years, probably since President Obama first took office. On its face, the passage could not be clearer. The “higher powers” are ordained by God and resisting them is resisting God.[1] God placed these rulers in place for our benefit.[2]

At the time Paul wrote this letter to the Romans, the Roman Empire ruled the western world. Nero was Emperor at the time, and he was no friend of Jews or Christians. All prior empires were ruled by a single monarch possessing absolute authority. Some early civilizations had codified laws, but they were laws made by the monarch. Subsequent to the Roman Empire, nations continued to be ruled by one kind of monarch or another. Romans 13 makes sense in all of these instances. The subjects of these kingdoms had no choice in who ruled over them. They had to submit or forfeit their lives, so the best advice was to submit.

The United States does not fit that pattern, although, arguably, there are those now working to change that. The United States is unique among all the nations of the world throughout world history. We do not have a ruler. We have a Constitution, a national code of laws, the “Law of the Land.” The preamble to the Constitution opens with the words “We the People.” Our form of governance comes from the people by way of representatives that legislate, supposedly, according to the dictates of the people. The Constitution makes clear that, while there are three equal branches of government that keep each other in check, the only rule comes with the consent of the people. We have no monarch ruling over us. The law of the land, the Constitution, ensures, supposedly, that those that govern and those that are governed are subject to the law.

So, how do we apply Romans 13 to our unique form of government? All citizens of the United States are subject to the Constitution, not to legislators, presidents, or judges. When our elected officials make laws that violate the Constitution, we, as Christians and citizens, are not bound to submit to laws that violate the supreme law of the land. We, as well as our leaders, are subject to the law. If our leaders fail to uphold their oath to the Constitution, then we the people are obligated to remove those leaders from office. We should not submit to unlawful legislation.

This new administration, empowered by a Demonrat Congress and Senate, a feckless Supreme Court, and promoted by left-wing media, will destroy the Constitution, and soon, the United States of America will become a nation like all the ones that have gone before. When that happens, Christians will have to take Romans 13 as Paul originally intended, but while the Constitution remains, Romans 13 implies that we are to defend it and submit to it. However, it could be that our time to do that has expired. If that is the case, Christians need to prepare for persecution as we wait for our Lord’s return. We need to pray as Jesus did in the Garden, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39). Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Notes:

[1]  Romans 13:2

[2]  Romans 13:4

3 Comments

Filed under Christianity, Current Events, End Times, Politics, Random Musings, Theology

Tagged as , , ,

January 3, 2021 · 10:00

Happy New Year?

Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: (Isaiah 46:9-10)

I really do not feel like writing. I am feeling rather sad, but I try to post something every week, so here goes.

The year 2020 has been the worst year of my 70 ½ years on this earth. I am certain that many of my readers share the same feelings. Now we are looking ahead to a new year. In the past, the New Year offered hope for improvement, but this year, the outlook, at least from my perspective, looks dismal.

Last year started out looking promising, but then COVID-19 hit and threw the entire world into a panic. Without recounting all the details, our nation suffered a great loss economically, socially, and religiously. Our shadow government, the unelected bureaucrats that seem to be the de facto legislators, instituted irrational mandates about wearing masks, social distancing, prohibitions on public gathering – all unconstitutional, by the way – and the public just fell in line like lemmings. What makes me really sad is how our pastors have willingly gone along with these (yes, I will say it) stupid regulations and closed their churches or instituted ridiculous rules on how we do gather – reduce attendance, wear masks, social distance, no “fellowshipping” inside the church, come in, wait to be seated, leave only when your row is dismissed, etc. Seriously, I have lost my desire to attend a “live” service. I know, Hebrews 10:25 tells us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, but one would think our pastors would look a little harder at that verse and consider also the one that says we should obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29).

I get it. COVID-19 is highly contagious and can be deadly, but so can the flu. As 2020 came to a close, the death rate from all causes in the United States did not increase even with COVID-19 (the CCP Virus). In fact, the complicit media suppress the statistics published by the CDC that those that contract the disease have a better than 99% expectation of surviving it. The relatively small numbers that do die of the disease have other underlying complications that contribute to the death. And yet, the general public is paralyzed with fear of contracting the disease. I have to laugh (although it is actually not funny) when I see people driving in their cars or walking outdoors in the fresh air wearing masks. It’s funny, but it’s sad.

The ones making the rules (I will call them “the Swamp” because they are indeed swamp creatures) do not care about the welfare of the public, although they would have you think that they do. (By the way, have you noticed that none of them have missed a single paycheck while the rest of the proletariat are losing their jobs and their businesses?) Their interest and intent is complete control of the populous so that we will fall in line according to their dictates. The first step was to incite fear of an invisible enemy, the CCP Virus, and make everyone shelter in place, wear masks in public, and social distance. That worked. The next thing will be to force everyone to take a vaccine for a disease that has a 99% survivability rate. You might object, “The government isn’t making anyone take the vaccine.” You would be right about that – now – but it may happen in the near future. Consider that airlines are already talking about requiring proof of vaccination before they will allow passengers to board their airplanes. Many “Big Box” stores, like Amazon who does not even have “stores,” are saying they will require proof of vaccination before they will sell to you or allow you into their stores. It sounds a lot like the “Mark of the Beast” (Revelation 13:18). It is NOT the Mark of the Beast, but it certainly paves the way for it.

On top of that, 2020 was an election year that gave us what is arguably the worst case of voter fraud in history. The abundant evidence of fraud in a variety of forms clearly shows that President Trump handily won, but the Swamp persists in robbing him of a second term. Even many of those who claim to be on his side, starting with the Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell, encourage the President to concede the election, claiming that it would be in the best interest of the nation. Inhabitants of the Swamp include many RINOs.

Three days from the posting of this blog article, a joint session of Congress will meet to count the electoral votes. There are two Constitutional ways that President Trump can secure a second term. According to Article II, Section 1, and the Twelfth Amendment of the Constitution, the President of the Senate, VP Mike Pence, is responsible for counting the votes. If he determines that elections for certain states were improperly and unconstitutionally conducted, he can choose not to count the electoral votes from that state. We have at least five or maybe six states that conducted fraudulent and unconstitutional elections, and if VP Pence rejects those votes, it is quite possible that neither candidate will have a majority. In that case, the vote goes to the House where each state is allowed one vote for President. Since the majority of the states represented are Republican majorities, President Trump will get the majority of votes, and he will win a second term.

The second option is for a member of the House of Representatives to challenge the legitimacy of the votes from those states in question. That would certainly be a Republican Congressman. This would require a second to the motion by a member of the Senate. The two houses would then divide for debate, and if the challenge stands, again, the vote would go to the House of Representatives where each state would get just one vote, and again, the majority of states being Republican, President Trump will win a second term – if everything is on the up-and-up.

I have said this before; neither option for President will improve our nation’s situation. If Biden wins (God forbid!) our nation will rapidly sink into Socialism and submit to a One-World government. If President Trump wins, the Swamp will rise up like nothing we have seen to date.

The year 2020 was not a good year. The New Year, 2021 does not promise to be better. In fact, it will probably be worse. Can we have hope? YES! Signs around the world and our nation portend the soon return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For those who have placed their trust in Him, He will soon take us out of this world before the Seven-Year Tribulation devastates the planet. After the Seven-Year Tribulation, He will return with His saints to rule and reign on Earth. Then, and only then, we will have true world peace. Joy to the World! But for those who have not placed their trust in Christ, this year will be nothing compared with what is to come. If you do not know the Savior, read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Happy New Year?

4 Comments

Filed under Christianity, Current Events, End Times, Holidays, New Year's Day, Politics, Random Musings, Salvation, Second Coming of Christ

Tagged as , , , , , ,