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January 2018 – The Battle for Jerusalem

The Battle for Jerusalem .pdf

“For it is the day of the LORD’s vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion.” Isaiah 34:8

By Mike Wingfield

We live in incredible times when significant prophetic events are rapidly falling into place to set the stage for the Biblical end of days. My generation has witnessed more preparations for the Tribulation Period than all of the previous generations since the time of Christ. The announcement on December 6, 2017 by President Donald Trump to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is one of these significant events. It signals that the Biblical stopwatch of God that will tick off the final seven years before the literal and supernatural return of Christ to earth is rapidly approaching. In Psalm 102:13, the Psalmist declared: “Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.” In the context of this great prophetic psalm, the Holy Spirit has revealed that developments in Jerusalem are directly related to the end of this age. “When the LORD shall build Zion, he shall appear in his glory.” (Psalm 102:16)

Anyone who has studied the Bible thoroughly will know that historically and prophetically the Holy City of Jerusalem is at the center of God’s stage for the unfolding of His divine plan and purposes on earth. As we shall discover in this article, the struggle for the Jewish occupation and ownership of Jerusalem as viewed within the nations will continue until the very end of this age.

I have had several people call and write me concerning the significance of our president’s announcement. Here is the big question: “How does President Trump’s announcement fit into the overall big picture of the Biblical prophetic end-time scenario?”

President Trump stated that part of his decision was based upon the historical reality of what is true about Jerusalem. Since the founding of the modern State of Israel, Jerusalem has been the only capital of the Jewish nation. Almost all of the governmental affairs of Israel are conducted in the governmental buildings in Jerusalem. I have seen and photographed many of the buildings on my tours in Israel in the last 32 years. In addition to this, the Scriptures and hundreds of solid archeological evidences prove that Jerusalem was occupied by God’s chosen people since it was declared by King David to be their capital almost 3,000 years ago.

We could all wish that this recognition of Jerusalem and the plans to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem would start a new political global trend. However, the current events and the prophetic Scriptures indicate otherwise.

First, the liberal political U.S. leaders and media are all opposing President Trump’s decision. They overlook the fact that congress overwhelmingly voted to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 1995. Since that time, three previous presidents promised, while campaigning for the presidency, that if elected they would move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as directed by congress. Each of them vetoed this bill twice each year. It is now apparent that President Trump was the only one who really intended to honor his campaign promise.

These same political pundits and uninformed media personnel are stating that what President Trump has done is politically foolish. While this decision is not popular with the political leaders of the world, as indicated by the recent UN vote to oppose this announcement, it is certainly approved by the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. As we all know, that’s all that really matters!

I do not pretend to agree with all of President Trump’s decisions, policies, or actions. The world may view his declaration about Jerusalem as foolish. The Bible states: “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” (1 Corinthians 1:27) We must not expect the world to really understand all of this! Those without the Spirit of God are spiritually dead and blind. They really cannot understand. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)

Many billions of people, especially those who follow the Islamic mindset, hate Israel and the God of Israel. They are blinded by their hatred. They hate God and are united against Israel. Read Psalm 83:1-8.

According to the Bible, the acceptance of the return of the Jewish people to their land and their occupation and ownership of Jerusalem is a divine test that will determine who is for or against God. Those who stand with God will applaud and pray for His “will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10). In Psalm 122:6, we are commanded: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.” Therefore, all believers who know the prophetic Word of God should support President Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of the Jewish nation of Israel.

In the context of the final seven years at the end of this age, Jeremiah 30:18 states: “Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob’s tents [their temporary dwelling places among the Gentile nations], and have mercy on his dwelling places; and the city [Jerusalem] shall be builded upon her own heap [the rubble of its ancient remains], and the palace [center of governmental affairs] shall remain after the manner thereof.” This text, and many others we will examine in this article, clearly demonstrates that the struggle for the city of Jerusalem will be at the center of the conflict between God and the nations in the immediate future.

I believe that President Trump’s recent recognition of Jerusalem will have the effect of galvanizing international opposition against God’s city, ultimately leading to Armageddon. Others agree with me on this. Charles Gardner, in an article in an e-mail from Israel Today, comments: “The decision of President Trump to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital as a probable first step towards moving the American Embassy there could well be a catalyst for a battle of the ages.” (e-mail from Israel Today, December 8, 2017)

Jerusalem will be the focus of the international attack upon Israel during the last half of the Tribulation Period. While calling Jerusalem “Ariel” (which is Hebrew for “the lion of God”), Isaiah 29:7-8 depicts the nations’ passionate determination to distress Jerusalem, as “a dream of a night vision.” They will dream of their victory over Jerusalem, but their dream will not come to fruition. Finally, at the end of the Tribulation, the Antichrist will call for the nations of the world to join him in the Battle of Armageddon. (Revelation 16:12-16) Zechariah 12 and 14 highlight the Antichrist’s attack upon Jerusalem. The Lord has declared: “And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” (Zechariah 12:9) While the forces of the Antichrist are attacking Jerusalem, the Lord will descend from heaven and fight against this evil force gathered against His people, destroying them all with the power of His spoken word. (Zechariah 12:2-3, 12-15)

Therefore, it is clear that Jerusalem is the epicenter of the international political conflict at the end of this age. The nations will join Satan in his attack upon Israel, and especially Jerusalem. The Scriptures paint a clear picture of the global attack upon Jerusalem that will not end until the battle of Armageddon at the end of the Tribulation Period. While speaking to His disciples on the Mount of Olives about the end of this age, Jesus told His disciples: “Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24) The time that is designated as “the times of the Gentiles” speaks of all the Gentile governments from Genesis 9 until Revelation 19. The Gentiles are destined be in control of events on earth until the Jewish Messiah returns from heaven at the end of the Tribulation to rule over all the nations of the world (Revelation 19:15) for 1,000 years. (Revelation 20:4-6) Finally, a Jewish global kingdom will rule over all of the Gentile nations.

It is very insightful to examine the Scriptures to determine why Jerusalem is at the center of the war between heaven and hell, God and Satan. Understanding this is critical to developing a Biblical view of what lies ahead for our world. Let us examine two major reasons why this is true.

Reason #1

God’s Desire for the Destiny of Jerusalem

The city of Jerusalem is mentioned by name more than 800 times in the Bible. It is emphatically important to grasp that Jerusalem lies at the very center of God’s eternal plans for this earth.

Jerusalem is not the choice of the Jews, it is God’s choice. Psalm 132:13 plainly states: “For the LORD hath chosen Jerusalem…” Jerusalem is called “the holy city.” (Matthew 4:5) This declaration is mentioned many times in the Bible, which indicates that God has set this city apart from all of cities in the world for His purposes. Jerusalem is uniquely called “the city of our God” (Psalm 48:1, 8), and “the city of the great King.” (Psalm 48:2) Uniquely, God has created the earth and placed Jerusalem at the geographical center of the nations. (Ezekiel 5:5)

The Lord has openly declared His special love for Jerusalem. In Psalm 78:68, the Lord spoke of Zion “which he loved.” In Zechariah 1:14, He expressed His love: “…I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy…” In Zechariah 2:8 He spoke of Jerusalem as “the apple of his eye.” These unique statements of God’s special love for Jerusalem should open our eyes to the central divine focus upon Jerusalem in these last days. If He is our Lord, and we love Him, we should love what He loves.

When I am in Jerusalem, these passages flood my mind and fill me with a wonder and love for this great city. I have traveled to many places in this world, but none touch my heart like Jerusalem. When I am there, I feel like I am in my spiritual home.

As the sovereign Almighty, the Lord is determined that His divine destiny for Jerusalem will be accomplished. This is very powerfully expressed in Isaiah 62:1-7. “For Zion’s sake, will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. (verse 1) … Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. (verse 3) … I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.” (verses 6-7)

The joy of the Jewish people over Jerusalem is an amazing thing o witness. No other people on earth have such a loving attachment to a city as do the sons of Jacob for Jerusalem. The eternal city is the subject of their prayers, singing, and dancing. This is a fulfillment of many Biblical prophecies. “The redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion…” (Isaiah 51:11) Jerusalem is destined to become the international capital of the Messiah’s government for 1,000 years.

Reason #2

Satan’s Desire for the Destruction of Jerusalem

Satan knows that if he does not stop God’s revealed destiny for Jerusalem, he will be imprisoned in the bottomless pit for 1,000 years. (Revelation 20:1-3) Satan has never faced such a judgment or restriction, and he is determined to oppose God in his desperate attempt to avoid this. As a result, Jerusalem is at the center of Satan’s attack against God. Isaiah 14:13 reveals that Satan’s agenda is to dethrone God in heaven and to control the Temple Mount in Jerusalem to oppose God’s agenda for His Son to rule the earth from this location. History demonstrates that Satan has done everything in his power to oppose the Jewish occupation of Jerusalem. Amazingly, the Arab people have been the major tool of his attack upon the Jewish people and their beloved city. This was true in the days of Nehemiah. Read Nehemiah 4. The ancient prophet Obadiah faced this Arab hatred and opposition. And, this was the situation in Psalm 83:1-8, and Psalm 120. So, it is not a surprise that at the center of the attack against the Jewish occupation of the city of Jerusalem is the Arab people and their religion – Islam. Zechariah records God’s verbal confrontation with Satan about all of this. “And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?” (Zechariah 3:2)

The name Jerusalem means “city of peace.” How ironic that no other city on earth has known so much war, destruction and bloodshed. Jerusalem has suffered the threats, attacks, and/or control of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Rome, the multiple wars between the Muslims and crusading Catholic Church, the Ottoman Turks, and the British. When my tour groups walk through the Old City of Jerusalem there are many places where we are reminded that the present level of Jerusalem is 14-21 feet above the level of Jesus’ time, and even deeper to the various levels of the Old Testament period. Much of this death and destruction that Jerusalem has suffered is a result of the conflict that exists between God’s and Satan’s opposing agendas. As we get closer to the final phase of this war in the spiritual realm, the spotlight upon Jerusalem will once again become increasingly intense.

According to the prophetic Word of God, Jerusalem will be the center of the Antichrist’s focus in the last half of the Tribulation Period. (Daniel 11:45; Zechariah 12, 14; Matthew 24: 15-20 and 2 Thessalonians 2:4 ) The fact that Islam has been at the center of the conflict against the Jewish occupation and control over Jerusalem and the Temple Mount for 14 centuries is not a coincidence. This is one of many reasons why I believe the Antichrist will be a Muslim and the religion that will consume and control him is Islam. The powerful control and growing influence of Islam is evidence that we are living in the last of the last days!

There is coming a future day when many Arabs and Muslims will be saved and surrender their lives to Jesus Christ as their Savior. In an amazing chapter, Isaiah 60, the prophet Isaiah wrote about the transformation of the Arabs who will be saved and survive the Tribulation Period. Their former hatred for the Jews and their land and city will be replaced with a respect and support of the Jewish occupation of the Promised Land and Holy City. Isaiah 60:14 summarizes this astounding change: “The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.”

Presently we are hearing of a supernatural movement of the Holy Spirit within the Muslims populations of the Middle East. Tens of thousands of Muslims are having dreams of seeing Jesus and later hear the gospel and are saved. Many of these former Muslims have already become martyrs for their Lord as they attempt to share the gospel with their Muslim families and friends. I believe that this sudden supernatural event and its powerful impact throughout the Muslim world in the Middle East is a forerunner of what the Lord will do during the Tribulation Period among the Jewish people in Israel. (Joel 2:27-32) Therefore, this supernatural evangelism of the Muslim masses is another powerful sign that the Rapture is very near.

When the Tribulation Period is over, those who survive will stand before the Lord in the judgment of what is called the Sheep and Goat nations, as recorded in Matthew 25:31-46. The sheep represent those who are genuinely saved, while the goats represent the lost. As you read this text, you will realize that the faith of these people will be exposed by their works. Their works are centered upon their treatment of “the least of these my brethren” – the Jewish people. (verse 40) Those who are saved will love what God loves and pray for His will to be done on earth. When one understands the role of the Jewish people and their occupation of the Holy Land and the Holy city of Jerusalem, he will always stand with God, His people, His land, and His city.

I believe that President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel will be used to force the world to take sides. If they are for God, they will stand with the Jewish people and their occupation and ownership of Jerusalem. If they oppose God, they will support the Arab/Muslim agenda, which calls for the destruction of the Jewish nation of Israel.

For several decades now, the world has followed the false cry for peace in the Middle East. The world refuses to look at the true historical facts. Prior to modern times, there never was an ethnic group of people called “Palestinians.” There never was a Palestinian country. The land called Palestine was always governed by an outside political power for thousands of years until modern times. The Jews never stole the land from the Arabs. In contrast, the Arab nations surrounding the Holy Land called for the Arab people living in that land to evacuate as the Arab nations invaded the newly born nation of Israel in May, 1948. The Arab masses complied, and when Israel won the war, the Arab nations chose to keep the displaced Arabs (now called Palestinians) in refugee camps as a bargaining chip to tempt the world to force the Jews out of the land.

It is no secret that the Arab people, including those who now call themselves Palestinians, do not want to create a two-state solution to this conflict. The world thinks that the Arab/Muslims want a Palestinian State to live in peace along side of a Jewish State [Israel]. However, when you examine their charters, education materials, maps, media, and religious declarations, it is not a secret that the Palestinians and all of their Arab/Muslim friends are really calling for the creation of a Palestinian State from the Mediterranean to the Jordan River. They want the complete removal of the Jews from the land of Israel.

The nations of the world have been blinded by all of the Arab/Muslim false promises. The financial and political corruption of the Palestinian leadership and the incitement toward violence and hatred of the Jewish people have been totally ignored by the western nations. In essence, they are promoting the creation of another Islamic terrorist nation, while they oppose the only true democracy in the Middle East. This is not only unbiblical. It is also wrong and insane! This is another testimony that we live in a pagan, godless culture that has inverted reality. Good has become evil and evil has become good.

At the center of this conflict is the city of Jerusalem. The world recognized this in 1947. When the United Nations voted in November, 1947, on a plan to partition the land of Palestine, they created a map showing a Jewish State, and a new Arab State. However, they declared that Jerusalem and the immediate surrounding area would be declared an international zone. They recognized that neither the Jews nor Arabs would accept a plan that would give Jerusalem to the other side.

However, the conflict over Jerusalem is not a nationalistic struggle. At the center of this conflict is the religion of Islam. The struggle for Jerusalem is a religious war. Muslims claim that Jerusalem is an important Muslim center of worship. However, the Koran never mentions Jerusalem by name. Until modern times, the Muslims did not consider Jerusalem to be important. As a matter of fact, the passionate possession of Jerusalem did not begin with the Muslims until the creation of the modern state of Israel in 1948.

President Trump’s announcement to accept Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is a very big issue in this religious war. Until his announcement, the western world was playing along with the Muslim world, ignoring the Biblical facts, modern historical records, and amazing archeological discoveries that prove that Jerusalem belongs to the Jewish people and should be recognized as the capital of Israel. Now, President Trump has dared to take a bold step and do what is right in a world that celebrates wrong.

Soon, and very soon, the church is going to be caught out of this world and the struggle for Jerusalem will reach a new level that will finally bring the nations to Armageddon, where Jesus will settle the score once and for all!

I thank the Lord that I have been given the privilege to watch all of this unfold. If the prophets or apostles were here with us, you would not be able to shut them up! They would be proclaiming the promise of our Lord’s soon return. How sad that we live at a time when the churches are so silent about His Second Coming. Get ready for the shout that will take us out!

Dangerous Developments on Israeli’s Northern Border

While the war of Jerusalem is heating up, there is another critical development on Israel’s northern border. According to many sources, the failed Syrian government is nothing more than a weak puppet government now controlled by Russia and Iran. In the past year, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has frequently visited Moscow to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the Iranian presence in Syria. The Israelis know that it is Iran’s goal to control the Middle East and eventually establish a Shia-based global empire. In order for this to happen, Iran’s goal is to establish a land bridge from Iran, through Iraq and Syria to Lebanon, which is nothing more than a weak puppet of Iran, controlled by Hezbollah. Hezbollah has engaged in war and terrorist attacks against Israel along the southern Lebanese border for several decades. This militia terrorist group is trained and supported by Iran and operates in the region with the ultimate goal to bring about the destruction of Israel.

Israelis are concerned that Iran is now building a powerful military base just 31 miles from their northern border with Syria. Despite Netanyahu’s warnings to Russia that Israel will not accept Iran’s military presence in Syria, the Russians are giving their support to Iran’s new military Syrian base.

Several sources indicate that Iran’s purpose for this military presence in Syria is religiously motivated by their Shia prophetic convictions. World Net Daily recently released the following report: “Ryan Mauro of the Clarion Project argues the bases near Israel don’t pose an imminent threat of a conventional military strike or even an asymmetrical attack. But he said the motivation is rather a desire to fulfill Shia prophecy of a showdown with the Jewish state that Iran’s religious leadership believes will prompt the coming of a messianic figure, or ‘Mahdi.’ …

There are now some 13 Iranian military installations in Syria – some manned by Hezbollah terrorists and others by Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces.

‘This isn’t normal competition between hostile powers; this isn’t even the normal Iranian sponsorship of terrorism or attempts to expand their military presence,’ Mauro said in a recent television interview. ‘To the Iranian regime this is the fulfillment of prophecy.’

Mauro pointed out that new Iranian troops are called Ansar al-Mahdi, or ‘Supporters of the Messiah.’ And Iran has also created a 313th brigade, into which it is recruiting young Syrian Shiites. According to tradition in Shiite Islam, 313 is the number of fighters that will arrive with the Mahdi, the Islamic Messiah, Mauro explained.

Shia tradition holds that the arrival of the Mahdi will coincide with the arrival of the Christian messiah, Jesus, who will be the Mahdi’s lieutenant in fighting the Masih ad-Dajjal, the false messiah, or anti-Christ.

Shia Islam believes the Mahdi will reappear with Jesus, who will declare himself a Muslim, and kill Christians who refuse to convert. ‘The end of days,’ according to Shia belief, will be a bloody battle, killing off two-thirds of the world population and leaving the rest to convert to Islam.

The concept of the Mahdi figures in Iranian politics. In a speech in front of the U.N. General Assembly in 2008, then-Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad left the gathered politicians aghast as he begged Allah to hasten the return of the Mahdi.

‘You are not dealing with fully rational actors,’ Mauro said. ‘You can be irrational and strategic and pragmatic at the same time, which is what Iran is doing. If you understand these prophecies, you can understand Iran.’

Mauro explained that according to Shiite theology, Iranian leadership believes it will lead the battle against Sunni adversaries, invade Israel and take over Jerusalem. He added that the recent destabilization in Saudi Arabia is a direct result of Iran’s apocalyptic agenda.” (World Net Daily, November 24, 2017) To watch this interview, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6fTplpYzrE

As the Bible prophecy student follows all of these recent ongoing developments, he realizes that the hour is very, very late. We are literally standing on the brink of major events that have overwhelming prophetic implications. I can honestly say that I have never been more focused or excited about following all of this. Perhaps this is the year we will fly home to heaven.

“Therefore, be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 24:44)

November/December 2017 – God and Natural Disasters

God and Natural Disasters

.pdf

“And there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in [different] places. All these are the beginning of [birth pangs] ” Matthew 24:7-8

By Mike Wingfield

North America has recently experienced some horrific and deadly natural disasters. When calamities of this magnitude occur, some people ask questions about God’s role and why He allows such tragic results. Some want to point their finger at God and say it is not fair that He allows these tragedies to take place. In direct opposition to this, others see these disasters as a part of a blind fate that awaits all of us.

Due to acceptance of the theory of evolution and the loss of a true Biblical view of God, we need to realize that great confusion exists concerning natural disasters and their tragic consequences. We live in a culture that has disconnected the hand of God from creation in general and natural disasters in particular. Our culture is viewed by secularists as being at the mercy of “Mother Nature.” This pagan reference to a god that does not exist serves the godless culture in which we live. It is culture’s convenient and mindless way to avoid any reference or thought about God, His authority, and His divine purposes. Any recognition of God or His control of creation would place people under His authority, which is a threat to their sinful pride.

In this article, I want to give Biblical answers to five pertinent questions that many people are asking about God and natural disasters.

Is God in control of all natural disasters?

The Bible emphatically, consistently and repeatedly teaches that God created the world and everything in it. He has complete control over everything. John 1:3 states, “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.” (Also see Genesis 1:1 and Exodus 20:11.) Furthermore, this Creator is also in constant control of every aspect of His creation. He is sustaining or upholding everything. Hebrews 1:3 declares that Jesus is “upholding all things by the word of his power.” (Compare this with Colossians 1:16-17.) The Bible teaches that the heavens and the earth “continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants.” (Psalm 119:91)

Therefore, it should not be a surprise to discover that God also creates and controls all natural disasters. In Isaiah 45:7, God states: “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil [calamities]: I the LORD do all these things.” The Hebrew word translated “evil” in this verse cannot possibly mean that God creates moral evil. The Scriptures emphatically deny this possibility. The God of the Bible is infinitely good and holy. Therefore, His very nature and His works cannot be morally evil or sinful. (1 John 1:5) The word translated “evil” in Isaiah 45:7 refers to natural disasters. So, God clearly states that He creates natural disasters.

As we shall discover in this article, natural disasters are a part of God’s work through fallen creation. As a result of the sin of man in the Garden of Eden, the creation was cursed in ways that we struggle to comprehend. In Romans 8:21-22, the Apostle Paul stated that all of creation is under the sinful bondage of the curse of God. Part of this bondage is natural disasters. These natural disasters are an expression of the wrath of God upon the creation that will ultimately lead to the earth’s final demise. Speaking about the heavens and the earth, the Psalmist declared: “They shall perish, … all of them shall wax old like a garment : as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed.” (Psalm 102:26)

There are a multitude of direct statements in the Bible that give testimony to God’s control over the forces of His creation, even when they create disasters. God controls fire (Psalm 148:8), stormy wind (Psalm 148:8), rain (Deuteronomy 28:12), drought (Deuteronomy 11:17) and earthquakes. (Nahum 1:5)

Consider the following classic Biblical examples of God’s control over natural disasters.

The Genesis Flood- Genesis 6-7

The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah- Genesis 19

The fall of Jericho- Joshua 6

The events in Jonah’s life- Jonah 1-4

Jesus’ control of storms on the Sea of Galilee

The darkness and earthquake at the crucifixion

An honest consideration of the direct Biblical statements and examples should remove all doubt that God controls all natural disasters.

What are the divine purposes for natural disasters?

Everything God does has a purpose. Ecclesiastes 3:1 declares, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” We serve a God “who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” (Ephesians 1:11) I have discovered that natural disasters have five divine purposes.

1. God is demonstrating His power and sovereignty!

The Bible is God’s revelation about Himself. It is not about us, but about His nature, power and sovereignty. All natural disasters are a statement to all mankind about His glory. In the book of Ezekiel, God states 38 times that His works (some of which are natural disasters) are to demonstrate to the world that He is God! For example, the purpose behind the massive earthquake and volcanic eruptions in Ezekiel 38:18-22 is clearly stated: “Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself: and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the LORD.” (Ezekiel 38:23)

Mankind does not realize just how powerful God is. He is the Almighty! The use of His creation is just one example of the revelation of His infinite power. For example, the energy released by an 8.0 earthquake is equal to the explosion of the complete nuclear arsenal of the United States and Russia — all at one time. The ancient prophet, Isaiah, correctly proclaimed: “All the nations before him are as nothing: and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.” (Isaiah 40:17)

2. God wants us to be still and recognize Him!

Natural disasters are used by God to remind mankind that He is in control. He uses the powerful forces of His creation to cause us to stand still before Him. In Psalm 46 the Psalmist speaks of enduring a massive earthquake and tsunami that brings divine desolation on the earth. Consequently, he declares God’s expected response from mankind: “Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10)

3. God wants to humble us and destroy our prideful, independent spirit.

Unfortunately, the masses of humanity move through each day without a reverent thought about the person or power of God. In sinful pride, man has developed a lifestyle that is totally independent of God. As a result, God has crafted the use of natural disasters to make us realize just how weak and vulnerable we are to Him and His creation at any moment. Isaiah 2:19-22 informs us that when the end of time comes, God will violently shake the earth in order to humble man and exalt Himself.

4. God wants to remind us of eternity.

When we hear of massive horrific calamities, we are reminded of just how fragile life is. In any given moment, any of us could experience a life-altering event that could usher us and our loved ones into eternity. The book of Job is a testimony to this reality. After God gave Satan permission to test His servant Job, his entire family and possessions, except his wife, were completely destroyed by several means, including fire and wind. (Job 1:13-19) Job did not turn his back on God and ultimately declared: “Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.” (Job 12:9-10) Throughout the book, Job gave his response to his trials by testifying concerning man’s mortality and the need to think about eternity. (See Job 14:2, 5; 21:13.)

5. God uses them for judgment and retribution.

The Biblical record from Genesis to Revelation gives testimony that God has used His powerful creation as a tool of retribution and judgment upon the wicked who strive with Him. After stating in Isaiah 45:7 that He creates calamities, a couple verses later, God declares, “Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker.” (Isaiah 45:9)

On many occasions, God has used natural disasters to bring His judgment upon wicked and godless cultures. (Genesis 6:1-13; 18:20; Numbers 16:31-35; 1 Kings 16:30-17:1; and Revelation 11:18)

Why does God allow disasters to kill good people?

As mentioned before, there is much confusion about this subject because people do not have a proper Biblical view of God and the impact of sin upon the creation. In order to answer this question, we must consider several Bible truths.

First, we must attempt to grasp the reality that God is sovereign over His creation. He can do whatever He wants to do within the limits of His divine holy nature and His binding eternal decrees. God does not need to be instructed in the path of goodness or justice. Who does man think he is to question the goodness or justice of God? The Bible challenges us: “Who hath directed the Spirit of the LORD, or being his counsellor hath taught him? With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and shewed to him the way of understanding?” (Isaiah 40:13-14)

After seven years of divine judgment, when King Nebuchadnezzar suffered from a horrible and humiliating mental illness, he was restored to his senses and declared: “And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?” (Daniel 4:35)

In Isaiah 55:7-9, the Lord calls for the wicked to forsake his unrighteous thoughts and ways, and submit to His divine infinite thoughts and ways. Finite sinful man must humbly realize that He cannot pretend to comprehend the will and ways of God. After speaking about God’s eternal covenant with Israel, the Apostle Paul responded: “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? (Romans 11:33-34)

Natural disasters are a part of the bondage of the creation as a result of the fall in Genesis 3. The creation is in a progressive deterioration that will culminate with its ultimate demise during the final days at the end of this age. Psalm 102:25-26 declares: “Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shall thou change them, and they shall be changed.” Therefore, the death and destruction that accompany natural disasters are a result of this process, as directed by the sovereign plan of God.

Natural disasters are indiscriminant. They kill the righteous and the wicked. In our depraved way of thinking, bad things should only happen to bad people. However, Jesus taught that accidents or other horrific forms of death are not always an indication of the person’s spiritual condition. (Luke 13:1-5)

Are natural disasters increasing?

Many secular sources indicate that natural disasters are increasing. See the chart below from www.sciblogs.co.nz.

1948

Please notice that the sharp increase in natural disasters began in 1948, the same year that Israel became a nation. This is not a coincidence. The greatest sign of the last days is the beginning of the state of Israel. It is only fitting that the other major sign of the last days, natural disasters, also begin in the same year.

What does this tell us about God’s prophetic clock?

In His Olivet Discourse, Jesus taught that the increase in natural disasters would be one of the signs of “the beginning of sorrows [birth pangs].” (Matthew 24:7-8) Like birth pangs, Jesus was indicating that natural disasters would increase in frequency and magnitude until their culmination at His revelation from heaven at the end of the Tribulation Period. The graph above shows the increase in natural disasters and certainly seems to demonstrate that we are experiencing the birth pang impact of natural disasters.

This is the reason why the book of the Revelation, which chronicles the final seven years leading up to the Revelation of Christ, is filled with horrific natural disasters. During the end of this age there will be earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, drought, asteroids imploding in earth’s atmosphere, intense heat, darkness, toxic algae, unusual cosmic developments, and hail.

While referencing Jesus’ comments about these horrific natural disasters, Luke recorded Jesus warning: “And when these thing begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” (Luke 21:28)

God is in control of natural disasters. He is orchestrating the increase of these calamities in frequency and intensity. All of this certainly tells us that we are living at a very dangerous, but exciting, time. Until the Rapture takes place, we can expect to see more and more devastating catastrophes. As these dangerous times unfold, please be reminded that we are not at the mercy of a blind fate. We are in the hands of the One who is displaying His sovereignty and power.

We do not know what the future holds for the days ahead, but we do know who holds the future in His hands. All of this certainly tells us that the Rapture is imminent.

Be ready for the shout that will take us out!

Editorial on Organizing for Action

by Charles Krauthammer

“I do not understand how living in a country with its democracy established over 200 years ago, and now, for the first time in history, suddenly we have one of our former presidents set up a group called ‘Organizing for Action’ (OFA).

OFA is 30,000+ strong and working to disrupt everything that our current president’s administration is trying to do. This organization goes against our Democracy, and it is an operation that will destroy our way of governing. It goes against our Constitution, our laws, and the processes established over 200 years ago. If it is allowed to proceed then we will be living in chaos very much like third world countries are run. What good is it to have an established government if it is not going to be respected and allowed to follow our laws?

If you had an army some 30,000 strong and a court system stacked over the decades with judges who would allow you to break the laws, how much damage could you do to a country? We are about to find out in America!

Our ex-president said he was going to stay involved through community organizing and speak out on the issues and that appears to be one post-administration promise he intends to keep. He has moved many of his administration’s top dogs over to Organizing for Action.

OFA is behind the strategic and tactical implementation of the resistance to the Trump Administration that we are seeing across America, and politically active courts are providing the leverage for this revolution.

OFA is dedicated to organizing communities for “progressive” change. Its issues are gun control, socialist healthcare, abortion, sexual equality, climate change, and of course, immigration reform.

OFA members were propped up by the ex-president’s message from the shadows: “Organizing is the building block of everything great we have accomplished. Organizers around the country are fighting for change in their communities and OFA is one of the groups on the front lines. Commit to this work in 2017 and beyond.”

OFA’s website says it obtained its “digital” assets from the ex-president’s re-election effort and that he inspired the movement. In short, it is the shadow government organization aimed at resisting and tearing down the Constitutional Republic we know as AMERICA.

Paul Sperry, writing for the New York Post, says, “The OFA will fight President Donald Trump at every turn of his presidency and the ex-president will command them from a bunker less than two miles from the White House.”

Sperry writes that, “The ex-president is setting up a shadow government to sabotage the Trump administration through a network of non-profits led by OFA, which is growing its war chest (more than $40 million) and has some 250 offices nationwide. The OFA IRS filings, according to Sperry, indicate that the OFA has 32,525 (and growing) volunteers nationwide. The ex-president and his wife will oversee the operation from their home/office in Washington DC.

Think about how this works. For example: Trump issues an immigration executive order; the OFA signals for protests and statements from pro-immigrant groups; the ACLU lawyers file lawsuits in jurisdictions where activist judges obstruct the laws; volunteers are called to protest at airports and Congressional town hall meetings; the leftist media springs to action in support of these activities; the twitter sphere lights up with social media; and violence follows. All of this happens from the ex-president’s signal that he is heartened by the protests.

If Barack Obama did not do enough to destroy this country in the 8 years he was in office, it appears his future plans are to destroy the foundation on which this country has operated on for the last 241 years.

If this does not scare you, then we are in worse trouble than you know.

So, do your part. You have read it, so at least pass this on so others will know what we are up against. We are losing our country and we are so compliant. We are becoming a “PERFECT TARGET” for our enemy!”

Farewell To England

The following came from an undisclosed source:

“This is an interesting ‘Farewell to England’ list of Islamic accomplishments in that country that I thought might give you a better understanding of the insidiousness of Hijrah; that’s the takeover of a nation without going to war.

Don’t think for a moment that America is not a target or that there are no American cities where Islamic and Sharia victories and takeovers have already occurred. It’s time for border control, or start planning for a very big goodbye America party.

Here’s what has already happened to England within a few years of opening their borders without entry control:

How the British have passively succumbed to the Muslim invasion

Mayor of London … MUSLIM

Mayor of Birmingham … MUSLIM

Mayor of Leeds .. MUSLIM

Mayor of Blackburn … MUSLIM

Mayor of Sheffield … MUSLIM

Mayor of Oxford .. MUSLIM

Mayor of Luton .. MUSLIM

Mayor of Oldham .. MUSLIM

Mayor of Rochdale . MUSLIM

All the following achieved by just 4 million Muslims out of the

66 million population:

Over 3,000 Muslim Mosques

Over 130 Muslim Sharia Courts

Over 50 Muslim Sharia Councils

Muslims Only No-Go Areas Across The UK

Muslim Women… 78% don’t work and are on FREE benefits/housing

Muslim Men… 63% don’t work and are on FREE benefits/housing

Muslim Families… 6-8 children planning to go on FREE benefits/housing and now all UK schools are ONLY serving HALAL MEAT

… and we (the USA) can’t decide on an ‘Immigration Policy’ ???”

Catching Pigs

A friend of mine sent me the following parable that seems so fitting to our political situation today.

“Carl Marx said, ‘Remove one freedom per generation and soon you will have no freedom and no one would have noticed.’

There was a chemistry professor in a large college that had some exchange students in the class. One day while the class was in the lab, the professor noticed one young man, an exchange student, who kept rubbing his back and stretching as if his back hurt.

The professor asked the young man what was the matter.

The student told him he had a bullet lodged in his back. He had been shot while fighting communists in his native country who were trying to overthrow his country’s government and install a new communist regime. In the midst of his story, he looked at the professor and asked a strange question.

He asked: ‘Do you know how to catch wild pigs?’

The professor thought it was a joke and asked for the punch line. The young man said that it was no joke. ‘You catch wild pigs by finding a suitable place in the woods and putting corn on the ground. The pigs find it and begin to come every day to eat the free food. When they are used to coming every day, you put a fence down one side of the place where they are used to coming. When they get used to the fence, they begin to eat the corn again and you put up another side of the fence. They get used to that and start to eat again. You continue until you have all four sides of the fence up with a gate in the last side. The pigs, which are used to the free corn, start to come through the gate to eat that free corn again. You then slam the gate on them and catch the whole herd. Suddenly the wild pigs have lost their freedom. They run around and around inside the fence, but they are caught. Soon they go back to eating the free corn. They are so used to it that they have forgotten how to forage in the woods for themselves, so they accept their captivity.’

The young man then told the professor that is exactly what he sees happening in America . The government keeps pushing us toward Communism/Socialism and keeps spreading the free corn out in the form of programs such as supplemental income, tax credit for unearned income, tax exemptions, tobacco subsidies, dairy subsidies, payments not to plant crops (CRP), welfare entitlements, medicine, drugs, etc., while we continually lose our freedoms, just a little at a time as the government forces us to participate in many of these programs whether or not we want to.

One should always remember two truths: There is no such thing as a free lunch, and you can never hire someone to provide a service for you cheaper than you can do it yourself.

BUT, God help us all when the gate slams shut!”

Thank You

In the last newsletter I mentioned that our ministry had 3 months of more expenses that income. Many of you generously gave and now we have completely recovered from our losses. We thank you for your response.

We pray that you will all have a most blessed Christmas.

October 2017 – Living in a Nation of Fools

Living in a Nation of Fools

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“Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” Romans 1:22

By Mike Wingfield

We live in a nation and a world that are hurtling down a path that is clearly marked “Destruction Ahead.” The majority of people are ignoring the few godly voices of warning that are declaring that danger lies just ahead. These people do not know it, but they are living the life of a person the Bible calls “a fool.” We need to spiritually shout out to these people, “Turn back!”

I have asked myself in recent years, “Has the world gone mad?” The path that most Americans have chosen does not seem to make any sense to me. It is foolish! It is dangerous! And, it is deadly! They really do not seem to care. It seems they are oblivious to fact they are one heartbeat away from eternal damnation.

We live in a world of madness where we kill innocent unborn babies in the name of convenience. Some people are so confused they do not know if they are a male or a female. Really?? Some are intoxicated with their wicked pleasures, ignoring the reality that they are destroying their soul, body, mind, marriage, and family. We are witnessing the beginning of a horrific financial collapse as the madness to gratify self is driving people into financial bondage, creating a bubble of debt that will soon explode in the face of all Americans. We live in an hour of such foolishness that many are crying out for freedom from the laws of God and man. They want to be free to express the lawlessness of their depraved heart in rebellion against God, government, our nation, and their family. Their way is the only way. But, according to the Bible, their way is not only wrong, but deadly.

I can hear some of you say, “This is not new. All of this foolishness has been going on for a very long time.” You are right! All of this has happened before. A study of Biblical and extra-Biblical history clearly demonstrates that the preceding generations, all the way back to the Genesis flood, have repeated this cycle of madness. I have had the privilege of walking among the remains of many ancient civilizations. What they left behind gives silent testimony to the foolishness that brought about their ultimate demise. However, in light of the overall context of our world, according to the prophetic Scriptures, I am convinced we are about to witness the final act of madness that will invite God’s final retribution upon all of mankind. I am absolutely convinced this is man’s last defiant rebellion against God and His truth.

I believe that the church needs to wake up! Instead of shining the light of God’s truth into this dark madness, the church has followed the world into its path of foolishness. If we are to rescue fools from their depraved madness and ultimate destruction, we must stop acting like fools and be wise. Church ministries to children and youth must stop teaching our kids to be fools by appealing to their pleasures, and instead train them to be disciples of Christ.

In order to understand all of this we must examine what the Bible says about “the fool.” When a person or culture has reached the point of self-destruction they are playing the part of the Biblical fool. Let us examine the Biblical description of a fool.

The word “fool” appears 110 times in the Bible. There are six different Hebrew words and six different Greek words translated into the English word “fool.” This illustrates that the Biblical message concerning the fool is very detailed and must be taken seriously.

According to the Bible, the fool is not just a silly person. The fool is not someone who lacks intellectual knowledge. The fool is not someone to make fun of. He is a person that we must pray for and warn. The fool’s only hope is in Jesus Christ. The fool is enslaved to his pride-filled, sinful heart. Only Jesus can set him free so that he can make wise choices that will glorify God and be eternally healthy for his own soul. As we shall see, the person who lives the lifestyle of a fool is not saved. We may all act foolishly at times. But the one who is living the lifestyle of a fool has never been saved.

According to the Bible, the fool has three basic core sins:

1. He Spurns God

All fools reject God. Some refuse to acknowledge that God even exists. “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God…” (Psalm 14:1) The word “fool” in this text is the Hebrew word “nabal,” which speaks of “moral perversity.” In essence, this text and many others in the Bible, declare that the fool does not want to admit there is a God because he is in love with his sin. He realizes that if he recognizes the God of the Bible that he will be accountable to Him. Psalm 10:4 declares, “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God; God is not in all his thoughts.”

Some fools do intellectually believe there is a God. However, they live their lives on a daily basis without ever acknowledging God’s power or presence in their lives or world. They are not intellectual fools; but they are practical fools. Professing believers are Biblically admonished to not live like these practical fools. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

When a nation begins to reject God, it becomes a nation of fools and consequently abandons its spiritual compass. As a result, great confusion sets in. The people stumble about in spiritual and mental darkness. Their lives are filled with moral, financial, marital, and spiritual failure. Their conscience is “darkened.” (Romans 1:21) And, they lack common sense. Their spiritual compass is so broken, they cannot solve their problems or find solutions.

It is very obvious that America is rejecting God. Like those whom God has given up, they no longer want to “retain God in their knowledge.” (Romans 1:28) Some of these blind fools may claim that they love a god, but they really are “haters of [the] God.” (Romans 1:30)

America is in the midst of a godless revival. Wickedness, immorality, deception, and violence are growing and spreading across the nation like a raging wildfire. It is destroying the lives of many fools and their innocent families and friends. It is both painful and frightening!

There is really only one message that must be delivered: “Turn back! Repent! You are heading down the path of destruction!” Proverbs 14:27 says, “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life…” When fools turn away from God, it may feel right to their pride-filled minds. However, this is utter insanity! How and why should a person turn away from the God who sent His Son to die for them? He is the God who made them and sustains their life. He is the God who has given them all good things to enjoy. He is the One who created it all and controls it all. Only a fool turns away from a loving and caring God like this !

2. He Suppresses the Truth

When a person rejects God, it is only logical that he will also reject His Word — the Bible. In Romans 1, those who reject God and have become fools also suppress “the truth in unrighteousness.” (Romans 1:18)

One of the chief trademarks of a fool is his rejection of truth or counseling. Proverbs 1:7 declares: “…fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:22 adds, “fools hate knowledge.” Have you ever met a person who had his mind already made up? No matter what you said, or what truth you presented to him, it was rejected because he knows he is right. This is the way a fool thinks. He is close minded. “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes.” (Proverbs 12:15)

A fool primarily rejects Biblical truth because it is bound up in the very nature and character of God. He knows that if he accepts God’s Word that he is acknowledging God and is accepting His authority. This is not what he wants. He wants to remain independent of God and His Word. He loves his lifestyle of sin and is not willing to surrender it to follow Christ. He is very comfortable being a fool and feels that he is right. His sinful nature gives it a stamp of approval and that is all that matters to him.

God and His Word are intricately woven together. Jesus said: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) Like God, His Word is perfect, powerful, and eternal. The wisdom of this world falls infinitely short of the wisdom of God. 1 Corinthians 3:19 states: “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God…” God’s Word is so infinite that the unsaved man cannot understand it. It is foolishness to him. “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)

Those of us who walk in the light of God’s truth look at fools and are bewildered by their foolishness. The path of life looks so clear to us, but is so oblivious to them. That is because the sinner is spiritually dead. He is walking in spiritual darkness. As children of God, we have been called “out of darkness into [Christ’s] marvellous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)

Because man has been created in the image of God, he possesses a conscience and common sense. God has placed a basic sense of His law in the conscience of every person. (Romans 1:19; 2:14-15) This inner spiritual warning system has been twisted and distorted by the fall of man. However, the simple revelation of God in the conscience and creation still functions at a level so that the unbeliever is “without excuse.” (Romans 1:20) It is apparent that in some cultures that have been impacted with the light of God’s revelation, while the majority are unsaved, there is some sense of a very simple level of respect for God and His laws. It is this respect for God and His law that prepares the hearts of the sinners in that culture to receive the gospel.

When we look back a few hundred years in this nation, it is evident that it was founded by some very godly pilgrims who came to this land to worship and serve God. They left behind a very powerful testimony of their faith. Their Biblical faith and proclamation of God’s truth settled upon the hearts of unbelievers, like the framers of our constitution. Some of the signers of the U.S. Constitution were born-again believers, while others were not. However, by their own testimony, some of these non-believers apparently had a sense of respect for God and His Word. This level of respect for God and His Word was reflected in the constitution and continued in our nation quite a long time. However, it is very apparent that this residual cultural respect for God and His Word has almost completely dissipated. The impact of the early American pilgrims as salt and light is quickly disappearing. We are living in a secular culture, devoid of God and His Word.

This new generation of Americans are following the path of others before them. For example, compare this with Judges 2:10-11: “And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD …” Two hundred years after the children of Israel had crossed over the Jordan and experienced the miraculous hand of God at Jericho and the other battles, a new generation came up that had been impacted by the godless culture of the inhabitants of the land that were not driven out as the Lord had commanded them. In a similar way, this present American generation, following more than two hundred years after the pilgrims, has forgotten the great price that was paid by the godly pilgrims to impact this “new world” with gospel of Jesus Christ. We now have a new generation of Americans who have been raised in a godless culture for almost 60 years. Like the generations during the time of the judges in Israel, we are witnessing a new generation that is evil in the sight of God.

Truth has become offensive to most Americans. They have “changed the truth of God into a lie.” (Romans 1:25) Man’s ideas about himself and the creation have replaced God’s truth. Only a fool could think that His thoughts are greater than God’s thoughts. How stupid and ridiculous! To these fools, God graciously sends out this invitation: “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:6-9)

For example, we live at a time when America is being challenged to openly embrace and accept the gay lifestyle. We are being asked to have an open mind to accept that this is what some people want, and they want our stamp of approval upon their choice. Is this good? Are we really thinking about the good of these people? Do we really want what is best for them? First, the Bible openly and repeatedly condemns this as sin and an offense against our holy God. (Romans 1:24-32) Romans 1:27 indicates that sexually transmitted diseases are a form of God’s judgment upon those who transgress His moral law. David Kupleian, an award-winning journalist, vice president and managing editor of World Net Daily, editor of Whistleblower magazine, and author of The Marketing of Evil, How Evil Works, and The Snapping of the American Mind, writes: “…half of the gay and bisexual men will be HIV-positive by age 50.”- (Whistleblower, David Kupleian, “The Left’s War on Common Sense,” July 2017, p. 7) Therefore, do we really care about the gay community? If we do, we must be brave enough to tell them the truth. They would call this hate speech. However, we are really speaking the truth in love.

We live in a country where people are being warned about the dangerous results of nicotine in cigarettes. The law requires that those who manufacture cigarettes must clearly label each package to state the dangers of their product. The Biblical warning against the gay lifestyle, along with medical research, clearly indicates that the gay lifestyle is dangerous to one’s health, not to mention its deadly mental and spiritual impact upon the person. Why does our culture accept the warning against nicotine, but reject the warning against a promiscuous lifestyle? The answer is that our standard of approval is based upon the subjective demands of the culture, not upon what the Bible declares is right or wrong. Man continues to adjust and change his moral compass based upon the demands of the culture. Obviously, this is wrong and deadly.

God’s truth is based upon His character. His truth is perfect, infinite, and eternal, because He is perfect, infinite, and eternal. Since God does not change (Malachi 3:6); His truth does not change. (Isaiah 40:8)

In Matthew 7, Jesus spoke to the religious crowd who were walking in spiritual darkness. He gave them a solemn warning concerning their ultimate destiny. First, He warned them of their deceptive path. In Matthew 7:13-14, Jesus explained that the majority in a culture are not on the right path. He stated that there are only two paths — the right one and the wrong one. The wrong path is wide, accessible, and offers very little resistance. Most people are traveling down this path, and it is the path “that leadeth to destruction.” (Matthew 7:13) The right path is through a narrow gate. This path is restrictive, unpopular, and offers great resistance. However, a few people are traveling down this path “which leadeth unto life.” (Matthew 7:14) Jesus clearly warned his audience that they should not choose a road in life because it is the one most people are traveling. The majority of people never walk with God!

Second, Jesus spoke about the deceptive prophets in their culture. (Matthew 7:15-20) He clearly warned them to watch out for the false prophets who would claim to be messengers from God. He exhorted them to look at these prophets as they would a fruit tree. The real question is: Does the fruit match the root of its source? Therefore, examine a preacher as you compare him to the only true root of truth — the Bible. If his teachings and lifestyle do not agree with the Bible, he is a false teacher. Our nation has far too many preachers whose message and lifestyle do not agree with the Bible. These deceptive teachers are leading their followers to hell. They should be avoided at all costs.

Third, Jesus spoke about their deceptive profession of faith. (Matthew 7:21-23) In this warning, Jesus spoke about the final day of judgment when people will stand before the Lord, only to discover that they have taken the deceptive path and listened to the deceptive prophets, only to produce a deceptive profession that will not stand up in God’s court because their faith was not accompanied by works that were in agreement with “the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)

To illustrate His teaching about all of this, Jesus told them the parable about the wise man and foolish man. (Matthew 7:24-27) In this parable, there are two different men who made two different choices. The wise man built his house upon a rock. When the storm came, his house stood firm. On the other hand, the foolish man built his house upon the shifting sand. When the storm came, his house collapsed. What was Jesus teaching with this illustration? Please notice that both the wise man and the foolish man heard the words of Jesus. (Matthew 7:24, 26) However, only the wise man obeyed the word’s of Jesus and applied them to his life. The foolish man, simply ignored the words of Jesus. In this parable the houses of these two men represents their lives. The wise man chose to build his life upon the solid rock of God’s truth. When the storms of life came and ultimately the Day of Judgment, his life would stand the test, and he would be saved. However, the foolish man built his house upon the shifting sand. His life was founded upon the ways of the deceptive path and deceptive prophets in his culture. He chose to follow the subjective advice and lifestyle of his culture rather than the unchanging Word of God. The result for him was tragic. When the storms of life would come, and ultimately the Day of Judgment, his life would be lost. The foolish man always chooses the way of his culture rather than the Word of God. Clearly, Jesus was teaching that the foolish man always resists and suppresses the Word of God.

What about you? Are you building your life upon the Bible or the message of the American culture? Every day we move about in our culture. We watch television, surf the Internet, read books and magazines, read the billboards and signs on our roads, listen to the music of the world, respect or reject the opinions of others, etc. If this is all that we allow to impact our minds, then we will be like the foolish man that has built his house upon the sand. Proverbs 23:7 states: “For as [a man] thinketh in his heart so is he.” Just like we physically become what we eat, even so we become spiritually what we think. There is only one way to be like the wise man and build your life upon the solid rock of God’s truth. You must spend time in God’s Word! Listen to the message of Romans 12:2: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” You must renew your mind by allowing God’s Word to dictate to you what is right and wrong, what must be received and what must be discarded. If you do not do this, then your mind will become a garbage pit that stinks before God and will poison your soul for eternity! The Word of God is God’s cleansing agent that will clean your mind and life. Are you in the Bible each day?

Fools reject the Word of God. They claim they are too busy or just do not have time. In their pride, they think they know what to do without God’s instruction. Wise men recognize the foolishness of their heart and their desperate need to fill their minds with the Word of God. Which one are you?

3. He Satisfies Self

The third core sin of the fool is his priority to satisfy self. The fool places his desires and perceived needs above everyone else. In his eyes, he is more important than God, his spouse, family, or friends. What he wants must come first. He will selfishly sacrifice everything for what he wants, no matter the consequences!

Proverbs 18:2 declares: “A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.” Proverbs 28:26 adds, “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool…” At the heart of all of this is a priority love for self.

Self-love is one of the core problems of the last days. Near the end of his ministry, the Apostle Paul wrote: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves … lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God … Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:1-2, 4, 7)

Pleasure has a tendency to numb the mind. Fools are always battling between what feels good and what is right. We all have a sin nature from the time of our birth (Proverbs 22:15) that is bound up in pleasing self. The fool thinks: “If feels good, it must be right.” Sinful pleasures have a way of deceiving and distracting us from their ultimate tragic consequences. Proverbs 14:12 warns us: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

Sinful pleasures are deceitful. (Hebrews 3:13) Our foolish mind often tempts us to enjoy “the pleasures of sin” forgetting they are only “for a season.” (Hebrews 11:25) The message of the Bible from the beginning to the end is the same — “the wages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23) Sin is a cruel slave master. Its powerful influence on us is all to evident. Read what the Apostle Paul had to say about this struggle against the slave master of sin in Romans 7:7-25.

Sin has a very heavy price tag. The fool does not think about this. In his foolish determination to please himself he only thinks about immediate gratification. He does not think of the long-term consequences of his sin. As someone has said: “Sin will take you farther than you want to go. Sin will make you pay far more than you want to pay. And, sin will keep you longer than you want to stay.”

We live in a world that is pleasure mad! This includes sports, entertainment, music, movies, computer games, amusement parks, sex, food, travel, etc. People spend countless hours pleasing themselves without ever thinking of eternity and the eternal consequences of their actions. This is the way it was in the days of Noah before the flood. These were the prevailing conditions in Sodom and Gomorrah before their divine judgment.

Listen to the testimony of King Solomon. After a life of enjoying whatever he wanted as the richest king of Israel, he testified to just how empty all of his wealth, pleasure, and popularity were. Read Ecclesiastes 1-2. In Ecclesiastes 7:2-4, he gives us a very valuable insight into the foolishness of the human heart. In this text he testifies that it is more beneficial to go to a funeral than to attend a party. He declares that the sorrow at a funeral will make us think about eternity and the end of life, which is good. The good time at a party will numb your mind so that you will not think about the most important things in life. In verse 4, he says, “The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.”

Friend, what are you living for? Listen to Jesus’ statement to His disciples in Matthew 16:24-26: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; and whosever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” If you follow Him you will walk down the path that is least traveled in our culture. You will build your life upon the rock of Jesus and His Word. You will stop being a fool and will deny yourself, and sacrificially make Jesus first in your life. If you chose to be the fool, you have lost your soul and will spend eternity in hell. Don’t be a fool!

We Need your Support

I am very much aware that the ministry the Lord has entrusted to me and our faithful team of workers is not our ministry. It is His work. I believe the Lord has raised up this ministry in these last days to glorify Himself and to proclaim the message of His coming.

I am also aware of the reality that this ministry has continued to function within the body of Christ because of many like you who continue to pray for us and support us financially. We are deeply grateful for you and your faithfulness to His work. I need to prayerfully inform you that in recent months this ministry has experienced a continual shortfall of funds. For the first time in more than 20 years, our income has fallen short of our expenses. Obviously, this cannot continue.

As you know, I have made it a practice to not talk about money. I have never sent out a letter requesting funds, and I will not start now. I believe the Lord will raise up the funds that He wants us to have to continue with the assignment He has given us. Please join us in prayer as we wait upon His answer to this need.