PTNews
February 2022
Published monthly
All Bible references are from the KJV
(Examining Current Events in the Light of Bible Prophecy)
P.O. Box 13006, Roanoke, VA 24030-3006
Living in a COVID-Crazy World
“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man,
but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12
By Mike Wingfield
In America, most people have adopted a lifestyle that focuses on luxuries and conveniences – they blindly ignore the severity of what is happening in the world around them. To these people, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is only a temporary issue. They think this global pandemic will soon pass off the scene and life will return to normal. While they selfishly focus on themselves, they are totally ignorant of the imminent threat of living in a world that could drastically and permanently change at any moment. They are totally relying upon a lifestyle that is dependent upon the “norm” of daily living that the last few generations have experienced.
These people automatically assume that utility, transportation, and communication systems will be up and running each day. They rely upon the food and supply chains to always provide them with what they need or want at any given moment. They blindly trust whatever the medical and pharmaceutical communities promote as good health. They believe medical science will produce whatever is needed to rescue humanity from tragic and deadly consequences. They believe the reports issued by the media outlets and accept government policies. In essence, their trust is in a system that is deceptive and fragile. Consequently, as man moves further away from God, the system is increasingly becoming more foolish, unreliable, and dangerous.
The radical and sudden change of our world due to COVID, and the world’s reaction to it, illustrate the kind of environment we are living in during these last days. It is obvious that COVID has drastically changed our lifestyles. It has restricted our freedoms and impacted the food and supply chains. Due to government policies related to the pandemic, businesses are struggling to survive, and the employment rates have plummeted. These are only a few of the short- and long-term effects of our world’s reaction to this virus.
Those of us who have a grasp of what the prophetic Scriptures have to say about the end of days know that the global COVID pandemic is only one piece of the prophetic scene of the last days. It is only a relatively mild difficulty that will make up part of a world that will attempt to cope with radical life-threatening prevailing conditions at the end of this age.
God has intended that a believer’s faith should be anchored in a worldview that reflects the prophetic warnings of the last days. When Jesus answered the question of His disciples about the end of this age, He responded with a detailed description about the dangerous developments that will engulf the entire world. After He described some of these things, He said, “Behold, I have told you before” (Matthew 24:25). In essence, He told them that when these things took place, He expected them to remember His warnings that these conditions would come to pass.
The prophetic Word of God gives us an amazingly accurate picture of the developments that are currently taking place. Jesus spoke of the conditions of the last days, stating they would produce “great tribulation” (Matthew 24:21). The Greek word used to translate the English world “tribulation” speaks of a person being trapped in life-threatening conditions that seem inescapable and overwhelming. While describing the days of the Tribulation in Isaiah 24, the ancient prophet of Israel, Isaiah, depicted the death and devastation that would terrorize the entire populated world. He exclaimed, “Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth” (Isaiah 24:17). The global population will see itself as being trapped in a world where millions of people are dying. They will lose all hope of surviving. The COVID pandemic has presented to us a small-scale application of what is coming.
Our world is being altered by a response of fear to this pandemic that has brought death, disillusionment, and disruption in almost every nation on the planet. Who would have guessed a few years ago that we would be trapped in the grips of a global pandemic and its ramifications?
Politicians, scientists, and many in the media, are warping the facts about COVID, and are crying wolf. Little do they realize what they are saying will be a part of God’s judgment upon the wickedness they are attempting to promote. The righteous Judge will give them the reality of their deceptive fabrications.
From the very beginning of this pandemic, I have been concerned about all the lies and deception that have been promoted by the media, governments on all levels, and the medical and pharmaceutical industries. As we look at the larger context of our times, it is obvious that world leaders are attempting to coerce the global population to accept a one-world government. These leaders want absolute control so they can manipulate and control the people of the world. To make this happen, they realize they must deceive us by paralyzing our minds with fear so we will surrender our freedoms to them. They want us to believe they can fix the perceived crisis. A crisis they have deceptively created.
In the U.S., two crises are being used to motivate us to panic and surrender our freedoms. Climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic are both tools of deception being used by powerful people who want to alter our world. Psalm 2 exposes their agenda. They want to create a New World Order that is godless and is not founded upon the laws of God, which control the moral compass of society. These are the people described by the Apostle Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12. These people promote deception, do not love the truth of God, and take great pleasure in their sinful lifestyles.
However, I am not naive enough to ignore the real threats of this pandemic and climate change. The Bible describes these threats as a part of the crisis that the final generation will experience in the Tribulation. There will be many pandemics (Matthew 24:7; Luke 21:11; Revelation 6:8). Lethal climate change will produce global warming that will spread death and carnage across the planet (Malachi 4:1; Revelation 16:8). However, at this hour, politicians, scientists, and many in the media, are warping the facts to cry wolf. Little do they realize what they are saying will be a part of God’s judgment upon the wickedness they are attempting to promote. The righteous Judge will give them the reality of their deceptive fabrications.
For almost two years, the world has reacted to the COVID pandemic by coercing the global population to be vaccinated. I am not against vaccines. I have received many in my life. However, epidemiologists will tell you it is significantly important to properly test these vaccines before they are released for public distribution. Otherwise, they can be deadly and create life-threatening side effects. In most cases, these tests will take at least a couple of years. However, this was not the case with any of the vaccines offered for COVID. It was alarming to me that the pharmaceutical industry was told by our government that they would not be liable for the deaths or medical issues that would come because of their vaccines. For the first time in my life, the media created an atmosphere of fear by daily reporting a cumulative death and infection tally of this disease.
Please understand that I realize we need to take any pandemic seriously. I have lost many friends to COVID in the last few months. I, and most of my family have suffered with this virus. I have several dear friends currently suffering with COVID who are on respirators in the hospital. My heart goes out to them, and I am praying for their complete recovery. This virus is deadly. We must take it seriously.
However, most doctors and medical facilities in the U.S. have not been reporting the true impact of the COVID vaccines from the very beginning. They have been complicit with some of our government leaders and have remained silent about what is really taking place. Many are afraid to speak out about the medical problems connected with the vaccines. They are afraid to speak out because they fear they might lose their job. Over the course of time, hundreds of millions of people began to develop serious physical complications from the vaccine doses and boosters. The data indicate that hundreds of thousands have died because of the vaccines. I have personally heard the testimonies of many of my friends who were vaccinated and as a result suffered horrific consequences. To be silent about all of this is dangerous and morally irresponsible.
During these almost two years, we were given the impression that those who did not get the COVID vaccines were a danger to society. They were being blamed for the spread of COVID. However, now the truth is beginning to emerge. Last month, the latest U.K. health reports showed that vaccine-related deaths and infections are greater among the vaccinated when compared to the unvaccinated. “The latest official health data from the British government show that ‘fully vaccinated’ individuals are not experiencing the robust protection against hospitalization or death that they were promised, but rather have alarmingly been contracting the virus, getting hospitalized, and even dying at a much higher number than the unvaccinated have been over the past few months. As of December 5th, the vaccinated have accounted for a whopping 4 of every 5 total deaths in England since August 16, 2021, according to the UK Health Security Agency’s COVID data.” (For the entire report see the following link: americascivilwarrising.org/pandemic-of-the-vaccinated-latest-uk-health-data-shows-vaccinated-deaths-higher-than-unvaccinated-deaths-in-last-three-months/ .
Furthermore, the vaccine mandates that were being forced by the federal government upon the business and medical sectors of America threatened to create a crisis greater than the pandemic itself. Finally, on January 13, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the unconstitutional vaccine mandate on private businesses. My congressman, Bob Good, issued the following statement on this ruling. “No American should be forced to choose between undergoing a medical procedure or losing their job, and no president should be permitted to grossly overstep the constitutional limits on executive power. Thank God that six justices on the Supreme Court gave much-needed relief to tens of millions of Americans and lifted the clearly unconstitutional mandate on private business. However, the five justices who wrongly upheld the mandate on healthcare personnel are not only trampling the constitutional rights and livelihoods of those who served faithfully on the frontlines these past two years of fighting COVID-19, but they are willfully contributing to a healthcare staffing shortage and threatening needed treatment for millions of Americans. President Biden should recognize and admit that this is wrong. It is immoral, and it is hurting those he is sworn to protect. End this mandate immediately!” (E-mail from Congressman Bob Good, January 17, 2022).
I am convinced that in the immediate future, the lies and deception surrounding this pandemic will come to the surface. Recently, Pfizer’s CEO, Rochelle Walensky, admitted in a television interview that 75 percent of the deaths that have been attributed to COVID included people who did not die because of COVID, but from other medical problems. It is apparent that this lie was intentional. The federal government, pharmaceutical agencies, and many in the medical field were complicit in this deception. Why? They did it for money, power, and to promote a climate of fear. They were not thinking about the precious lives that were dependent upon their research and recommendations. This is symptomatic of a culture that does not respect human life as created in the image of God.
According to the prophetic Word, the last days will produce a climate of fear that will surpass anything the world has experienced in all human history. Jesus said that the immediate time into which our world will descend, will be the most dangerous, life-threatening period the world has ever experienced (Matthew 24:21-22). In Luke 21:26, Jesus said that men’s hearts will fail them “for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.” The Apostle Paul declared that the world will be gripped by fear, crying for peace and safety. Instead, of a lifestyle that brings tranquility and assurance, the world will face “sudden destruction.” (1 Thessalonians 5:3).
As I examine the Biblical texts that speak of the approaching lethal divine judgments, I am moved to understand that this is God’s judgment upon the pride of man. While speaking of the massive destruction due to global earthquakes, God declared, “The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day (Isaiah 2:11). This is repeated six verses later. The judgments of God in the Tribulation are to humble mankind and bring them to repentance. In Isaiah 13:11, God said, “I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.”
The world’s response to COVID has led us down a very slippery and dangerous path. While focusing on their pride in self and science, they are attempting to manage the pandemic without seeking the face of God. I am not saying we should not take physical precautionary measures to protect ourselves from viruses. However, we must be humbled by the reality that our wellness and life are in the hands of the One who created us. Life is a gift from God. It is in His hands, not ours.
The Lord is reminding us that He is the Great Physician. He sends diseases as a form of His judgment upon a wicked culture (Deuteronomy 28:21-28, 58-62; 2 Samuel 24:10-25). He is the only one who can heal us from all our diseases (Matthew 4:23).
What should we do? How should we react? How should we prepare for the changing times in which we live? Let me give several Biblical admonitions.
Trust only in God and do not be afraid.
The Bible tells us, “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man” (Psalm 118:8). Psalm 146:3 adds, “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.”
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones” (Proverbs 3:5-8).
According to the prophetic Word, the last days will produce a climate of fear that will surpass anything the world has experienced in all human history.
As we face these difficult times, we must be very careful to control how we think. That means we must be careful who we listen to and what they are saying about our situation. For example, how you react to the threat of COVID should not be conditioned by the godless world around us. I am convinced that most believers struggle to grasp we are living in a world of foolishness. We live in a world that has lost its moral compass and walking in spiritual darkness. These are the same people who believe in evolution, abortion, and the emerging sexual revolution. They have rejected God and His Word while they openly embrace the wickedness of our culture. Can we trust what these people say about COVID? Are we to join them in their response to the threat of COVID?
Seek the advice of good Biblical understanding.
During this COVID outbreak, there have been many virologists and other godly people in the medical field who have warned us to be cautious concerning the recommendations being forced upon us to protect ourselves against this virus. Generally, we need to focus more on how God has created our bodies. God has created us in such a way that the body will naturally fight off deadly attacks against it. This is done through our immune system. It is the natural way to be proactive in our defense against all viruses.
Many of these godly people have reminded us that we need to eat nutritious food, get plenty of rest, and drink lots of water. Since much of the food we consume does not contain the nutrition we need, they have suggested that we take certain supplements to strengthen our immune system.
All medications have side effects because each person’s body is uniquely created by God. People have different reactions to the same medications. Therefore, it is so important to allow medical researchers to have the opportunity to test a segment of the population over time to understand all the possible harmful side effects before we allow them to put it in our bodies.
Proverbs 15:22 says, “Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of
counsellors they are established.” Examine this warning in Proverbs 13:20, “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” Finally, Psalm 33:10-12 exclaims, “The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. The counsel of the LORD standeth forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.”
Choose the path of life.
Have you chosen the lifestyle of the ungodly? It is obvious that many do not take good care of their bodies. They do not know that it is the temple of the Holy Spirit. The Bible warns us to, “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men” (Proverbs 4:14).
Most people in our world are going down the path of destruction (Matthew 7:13-14). The Bible says, “The way of transgressors is hard” (Proverbs 13:15). They reject the wisdom of God, established in the Word of God. Are you seeking the wisdom of God or the advice of men? Those who seek the counsel of God will immerse themselves in the Bible. “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death” (Proverbs 14:27). The fear of the Lord and the wisdom that comes from Him are far more important than wealth and the treasures of this world (Proverbs 15:16; 16:16).
Prepare for times of adversity.
Wisdom that comes from God will protect you in the times of adversity (Proverbs 8:32-36). The Hebrew concept behind the word “wisdom” means having the ability to see things as they appear and as they really are. Also, it is to see several possibilities and to choose the best one. We must seek the wisdom that comes from God before the difficult times come. If we do not do this, then when the adversity comes, we will not know the way of God. Please carefully read Proverbs 1:20-33.
We are living in a time of rapid change. Only those who have the wisdom that comes from God will be able to anticipate the consequences of the change and adapt to it. We need to daily cry out to God for wisdom. During the time of Jewish persecutions in the first century, James wrote to his fellow Jewish believers and said, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5). This has been my prayer for many decades. My wife and I continually ask God to give us wisdom for living.
In the truest sense of the counsel of God, I believe all believers of the last days should be “preppers.” The Bible repeatedly warns us that the last days will be hard. If we truly believe what God has said, we will act now to prepare for times of adversity.
It is true that we will be raptured before the horrible times of the Tribulation arrive. However, the global community is currently experiencing the painful times the Bible calls “the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:8). These are the birth pangs of the Tribulation Period.
As I write this newsletter, I am sitting in my office looking out my window at the snow and ice that was delivered by winter storm Izzy. The meteorologists gave us an accurate warning of what to expect. Consequently, people flooded grocery stores to get prepared before the storm. I spent almost an entire day getting ready for the storm and how it would impact us here in the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia.
In comparison, the Scriptures give us an accurate prediction of the nature of the times before the storm of the Tribulation Period. Likewise, if we believe the Lord and His predictions, we will prepare.
Proverbs 24:10 says, “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” Many people believe that when difficulties come, God will take care of them. Therefore, they conclude they do not need to prepare for difficult times. This is not Biblical. Notice that Proverbs 24:10 says that people are weak in the time of trouble because their strength is small. If we do not listen to God’s counsel, when times of adversity comes, God will not hear our cry. See Proverbs 1:24-33. Proverbs 27:12 says, “A prudent [wisdom in the management of affairs] man foreseeth the evil [calamity], and hideth [protects] himself: but the simple [those who are foolish] pass on [ignore the warnings], and are punished [pay a great price].”
In Proverbs 30:24-25, we are exhorted to be like the ant, who is wise and prepares for the difficult times of winter. Proverbs 21:20 says, “There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.” We live in a world of debt because people are living for the moment. If they do not have the money to buy what they want, they enslave themselves to godless lenders to get what they want now. This is the way of the world. It is the way of fools. Proverbs 22:7 says, “The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.” Debt is a trap. As we move deeper into the time of sorrows, those who are caught in this trap will pay a great price.
Pray, Pray, Pray
Part of the wisdom that comes from God occurs during our times of prayer and reflection upon His Word. Godly people are humble. They realize they are not in control of their lives. They know the Lord is sovereign and that He rules over His creation from heaven. They realize their life and all that He has entrusted to them are in His hands.
Therefore, they seek His face and cry out to Him continually. What should we pray for?
God is shaking our world with this pandemic. Let us pray that people will be humbled and come to Him for salvation and help.
Let us faithfully pray that the Lord will give us wisdom to discern truth from the lies all around us. Let us pray for those who are infected with COVID. Let us pray for them to be healed. Let’s pray that the Lord will hinder the governments’ efforts to use this crisis to rob people of their God-given human freedoms, civil liberties, and their ability to economically provide for their families.
Let us pray for a powerful revival to sweep through our churches. Pray that He will turn our pastors back to the prophetic Word of God. Pray that our leaders will understand that we all need to have a Biblical worldview of where we are and what is about to happen. Only then will we have real wisdom to know how to glorify Him in these last days.
Pray that as people are shaken by the radical and sudden changes in our world they will turn to the Lord and be saved. May we seek to have His boldness and compassion to faithfully proclaim the gospel. It is really the only good news that we need to spread throughout our families, factories, offices, schools, communities, and nation.
A Time of War and Rumors of Wars
When Jesus was asked by His disciples about the character of the last days, He said, “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and [diseases], and earthquakes, in [different] places” (Matthew 24:6-7). The end-times will feature evil tyrants using their military power to take control of the world. The champion of these wars will be the Antichrist. At the beginning of the Tribulation, he will go forth to conquer the world (Revelation 6:2-4). His war campaign will continue for 3 and one-half years until he takes control of all nations (Revelation 13:7).
As the West [primarily the U.S. and Europe] continue to grow weaker, it is giving the evil leaders of the world a green light to begin their move toward global domination.
One of the nations that seeks global domination is Russia. On December 17, 2021, Russian President, Vladimir Putin, published a policy that attempts to force the United States and NATO to meet his demands or face the threat of an all-out war with Russia. Here are several of his demands:
- “NATO membership must be denied to all states of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), including the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which have been members of the alliance since 2004.
- NATO is prohibited from expanding further eastward, including to countries such as Sweden and Finland.
- The United States is prohibited from flying bombers or deploying warships, including within the framework of NATO, in areas outside of its national airspace and national territorial waters, respectively.
- The United States is prohibited from deploying its armed forces or armaments, including within the framework of NATO, in any area where such deployment could be perceived by Russia as a threat to its national security.
- The United States must remove all its nuclear weapons from Europe.
- The United States is prohibited from deploying ground-launched intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles outside of its territory.”
(Gatestone Institute, January 6, 2022 article by Soern Kern)
This Gatestone Institute article goes on to state, “On December 23, Putin, during a four-hour press conference, repeated his stance that ‘any further NATO movement to the east is unacceptable.’ A few days later, the Kremlin described NATO expansion as ‘a matter of life and death’ for Russia…. If the West does not accept the Russian ultimatum, they will have to face ‘a military and technical alternative,’ according to Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko: ‘The Europeans must also think about whether they want to avoid making their continent the scene of a military confrontation. They have a choice. Either they take seriously what is put on the table, or they face a military-technical alternative.’”
“The Russian demands, which effectively require NATO to commit suicide, are so obviously outrageous and unmeetable that Western analysts are split over interpreting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s motives. Some say he is using the impossible list of demands as a pretext to invade Ukraine. Others think he is playing a weak hand to try to divide the West and reorder Europe’s security architecture in Russia’s favor.”
Currently, Russia has amassed an estimated 100,000 troops on Ukraine’s eastern border, obviously signaling that an invasion will soon be launched.
We are standing on the brink of major developments that will alter a political/military balance of power that has been in place since World War II.
Be ready for the shout that will take us out!