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2014 March/April – God Have Mercy on America

God Have Mercy on America

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14

By Mike Wingfield

May the Lord God have mercy upon the United States of America. That is the cry of heart as I am burdened to pray for my country as I witness its moral and spiritual decline. I sense in my soul that our nation is about to suffer a major act of divine judgment. No one can pretend to know what this act of divine judgment will be or when it will occur – but it is coming.

As I witness my country ever increasingly turn its back on God, I am reminded of the great Jewish prophet, Elijah. Elijah marched into the throne room of wicked King Ahab one day and announced that divine judgment in the form of a drought was about to fall upon Israel. (1 Kings 17:1) Where did he get such a revelation that this was about to happen? Elijah walked with God. He knew that God had warned the Jewish nation that if they ever departed from Him and disobeyed His Word, He would curse them and send a drought as an act of judgment. (Deuteronomy 28:23-24) Elijah saw the spiritual and moral corruption of his people. He knew their sin had reached a point where it was time for God to keep His Word and judge His people. In other words, Elijah was taking God at His Word. In his soul, he sensed that the time of God’s retribution with a drought was imminent.

Similarly, as I look around America and see the spiritual and moral corruption, I sense in my soul that the time of God’s divine judgment upon our nation is imminent. God will honor His Word! I am not a prophet, and like all believers today, I can never pretend to know the exact timing or nature of God’s divine judgment.

At this very hour, America continues to exhibit a haughty spirit of rebellion against God and His Word. There is a hunger for the sinful pleasures of every sexual perversion that is an abomination to our Holy God. A lifestyle of violence, lawlessness, and deception permeates the land. Many Americans have turned from the One and only living God and are flocking to various religious expressions of paganism. Too many Americans are fascinated with witchcraft, sorcery, mind-altering drugs, and other bizarre activities that are an offense to the Lord. An ever-growing spirit of greed, accompanied by a relentless pursuit of the idols of money and power, have a spiritual death-grip on the nation. The God-ordained order of marriage and the home is disintegrating right before our eyes. Our nation is spiritually, morally, and politically divided. It appears that the United States stands on the brink of economic collapse and political upheaval.

However, the greatest problem in America is the godless condition of the majority of local churches. The spiritual and moral collapse of America is a commentary on the failure of the church to be salt and light to the world. (Matthew 5:13-16) The professing church has become a part of the problem, rather than a part of the solution in America! A majority of pastors and church leaders have turned our churches into nothing more than social clubs where people can think about religious platitudes, and continue to applaud and promote godlessness within their congregations. There is very little talk about sin, repentance, the holiness of God, divine judgment, or eternal punishment. It seems that the leadership of American churches promotes and proclaims a message that we can convince God to bless us so we can be happy now. Very little is said about heaven or eternity. In essence, the church has become like the world. Professing Christians thrive on instant gratification. It is all about the god of self. God gets relegated to some lesser position of importance in our daily lives when He should be Number One.

While reflecting upon all of this, the Spirit of God directed my attention to Daniel 9:1-19. In this great passage, the godly prophet of Israel, Daniel, had discovered that his people were about to be released from their captivity of almost 70 years in Babylon. Being the godly man that he was, Daniel immediately began to wonder if this would be the time when the temple would be rebuilt in Jerusalem. In light of the response of the angel Gabriel to his prayer, it appears that Daniel was also wondering if this was the time the Messiah and His kingdom would arrive.

While Daniel contemplated the coming of the Messiah and His temple, he realized that his people were not spiritually ready for their long-promised Messiah to come. Consequently, he began to confess his sin to the Lord, as well as the sin of his people, Israel. (Daniel 9:20)

For a number of years, I have been deeply moved every time I read this prayer of this godly prophet. Daniel had a deep love for his God and his people. He was broken over the spiritual condition of his people and realized that they were not ready for the opportunity to rebuild the holy temple in Jerusalem and to welcome and worship the Messiah.

Please understand my heart. I am not even remotely suggesting that I should be compared to this godly prophet of God. I am, at best, a spiritual pigmy when compared to Daniel. However, I share his brokenness over the condition of my nation. I too, have a deep love for my God and a sense that the church of America is not ready for the Rapture. And, those who will be raptured are not really contemplating the reality that they will soon stand in the presence of the holy Lord Jesus and give an account of their lives, since the day of their salvation. (2 Corinthians 5:10)

Should our Lord not come in the next few years, it seems to me that it is highly likely that every Christian in this country is going to suffer the consequences of living in a nation that will experience the divine judgment of God. Only those whose lives are deeply anchored in the Word of God and walking in the Spirit will be able to glorify our Lord and rejoice in the midst of the suffering that will come.

What I am about to do, I have never done before. The Lord has directed me to write out a prayer of confession and repentance for America in this newsletter. I am seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God to help guide our thinking and praying to provoke us all to get on our knees and cry out to God for mercy on behalf of America. I will include in this written prayer certain Biblical passages that you should read to guide you in this effort.

Before I begin with this written prayer, I must share with you an experience that I had which I consider not be a coincidence. These kinds of things happen to me all of the time while I am thinking about preaching or writing something. While I was driving to a conference recently, I stopped at a rest area to use the rest room. As I walked back to my van, my attention was drawn to a photo-copied page that was on the dashboard of the passenger side of the car parked beside of me. Before this stop, the Lord had been speaking to my heart about writing out this prayer and I was wrestling with this assignment in my mind. However, when I saw this paper on the dashboard of the car beside of me, I knew that the Lord was dealing with me about this assignment. The topic of the copied page, turned perfectly so I could read it without turning my head, was: “Abraham’s Intercession on Behalf of Wicked Sodom.” As I got in my van and drove away, my mind went back to Genesis 18 and the account of Abraham’s pleading with God to not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. I believe that there is a reason why the Spirit of God chose to give us this great chapter in the Bible. It is a testimony to how the godly must cry out to the Lord for mercy when it is evident that divine judgment is about to fall upon a society. As I drove further down the interstate, my mind was flooded with what the Lord wanted me to write in this newsletter. I could hardly drive for the tears that streamed down my face.

My brothers and sisters, I plead with you to take this seriously. We must seek the face of God in this matter. I am not motivated to do this because I am a great patriot of America. And, I am. I am motivated to do this because there are still millions of Americans that need to hear the gospel and be saved. I am motivated to do this because I want my God to be glorified in the midst of all of this wickedness, deception, and confusion in America. I hunger to see a real revival among a remnant of godly people and churches! I must also confess that I need to pray this because I have two wonderful grown children with godly spouses, and three little grandchildren that have received Christ. I deeply care about them and what lies ahead in the future.

As you read this prayer, I sincerely hope you will join me on my knees in brokenness and confession before our God for our own sins and for the sins of America. I also appeal to you to share copies of this newsletter with other believers so they can join us in praying for our nation at this vital hour.

O Holy Father in heaven, we come to You in the Name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. We desire to pray in the power of the Holy Spirit. We humbly come into Your divine presence with a sense of awe and reverence. We come before You in a spirit of worship, praise, and thanksgiving. We thank You for the gift of Your eternal Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. We acknowledge You as the One and only triune God, revealed in three persons who are equally God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:26; Matthew 28:19)

We thank You for loving us and sending Your Son to die for our sins. (John 3:16; Romans 5:8-11) We thank You for the gift of eternal life through His personal sacrifice on the cross, (Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:1-3) and His physical resurrection from the dead. (1 Corinthians 15:4-19) We thank You for the promise we have that He will soon return to take us to live with Him in heaven. (John 14:3; Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)

Oh Lord, we believe that Your Son, according to Your revelation, created the heavens and the earth, “and all that in them is,” (Exodus 20:11) in six days and rested on the seventh day. We believe that He created the world out of nothing. (Hebrews 11:3) Nothing is impossible with You. (Luke 1:37) You have all power and authority upon this earth and in all of creation. (Matthew 28:18)

You are holy, righteous, and just. You can do no wrong and have never sinned or acted in an evil way. Everything You have ever done, or will do, is good. You are a good, gracious, kind, and merciful God.

All of us who have lived on this earth have sinned against You. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Not one of us can say we are righteous or good. (Romans 3:10) At our spiritual core, our souls, we are “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” (Jeremiah 17:9) None of us, without the work of Your Spirit, are seeking to know You or follow You. (Romans 3:11-12) “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way.” (Isaiah 53:6)

Oh Lord, forgive us! We do not want to wander from Your presence. We want to abide in Your presence by the sweet work of Your Holy Spirit. (John 15:1-11) We acknowledge that without the work of the Holy Spirit we cannot know You or understand the things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:9-16) With His help, we want to “trust in the LORD with all of [our] heart; and lean not unto [our] own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5) We want to acknowledge Your presence in all that we do. (Proverbs 3:6)

Oh Lord, we come to You in behalf of our nation, America. We thank You that it has been evident that Your hand has been upon this nation for many years. You have blessed this nation. In Your Word, You have declared: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.” (Psalm 33:12)

We know that this nation as a whole has never been a godly nation. However, we know that from its inception there was a godly remnant that settled this land and established a government that respected, honored, and reflected the Word of God. It has been an honor to live in a land where its people have been free to worship You. We rejoice that we have been able to openly and freely proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. We thank You that for hundreds of years, Your church has been able to saturate this land with the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. We are grateful that we have been able to send out missionaries to the nations of the world to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, and the salvation that comes only in His name. (Acts 4:12)

We acknowledge that You are sovereign over all the nations. (Romans 13:1) All of the nations are nothing when compared to You. (Isaiah 40:15-23) The history of the nations from creation to the end are in Your hands. You are the One who establishes the nations, selects kings, and removes them. (Daniel 2:21) We believe that You have chosen this nation as a very special instrument in Your hand for the good and freedom of many nations. It has been Your desire that this nation would give protection to Your people, both Jews and Christians. It is very apparent that this nation has played a very significant role in the establishment, recognition and protection of the nation of Israel in the last century.

Oh Lord, as we look at America today through the holy eyes of Your Word, our hearts are broken. It is apparent that the attitude of respect and honor for You as the One and only God is rapidly departing from America. O Lord, we believe that the first of the great Ten Commandments that You gave to Israel is still the first commandment from heaven for all mankind: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3) We know that America is grieving Your heart as they follow after other idols and gods that really do not exist. Oh God, have mercy upon America!

Oh Lord, forgive us for the spirit of rebellion and haughty defiance against Your holiness and Your holy standards written in the Word of God. May there be a spirit of shame, conviction and brokenness that would break out in this land, bringing some to repentance. We grieve to know that our government, media, entertainment industry, and education centers are promoting a lifestyle of sexual immorality throughout the land. We know that such an open acceptance of these kinds of sins are an abomination in Your sight and historically have invited Your divine judgment. (Leviticus 18:18-29) Oh God, have mercy upon America!

Oh Lord, we live in a land of murderers. We are killing our unborn children for the sake of convenience and selfish ambitions. We are no different from the pagan cultures of ancient history that offered their babies to their gods, while living lives of gross immorality. (Deuteronomy 18:10) Oh God, have mercy upon America!

Oh Lord, we live in a land of gross demonic deception. Our culture is obsessed with witchcraft, sorcery, astrology, and many other forms of demonic pagan practices and expressions. (Deuteronomy 18:10-14) Our children are constantly playing games that saturate their minds with evil, violence, demons, murder, pornography, and many other sexual perversions. We know that You have said that a person becomes what they think about. (Proverbs 22:6) Oh Lord, we are already reaping the consequences of all of this ungodly and wicked entertainment. We fear for the future of our nation. We know that demons are taking control of the minds of many of our children, while parents are obsessed with gratifying themselves with pleasures and materialism. Oh God, have mercy upon America!

Oh Lord, we live in a nation where governmental leaders and educators are promoting rebellion against You, the destruction of marriage and the home, the destruction of our nation, and the damnation of our people. They are giving freedoms and privileges to Muslims while restricting these same freedoms and privileges to Christians in every level of our society. Oh Lord, the prophecy of Psalm 2:1-3 is coming to pass in America. Oh God, have mercy upon America!

Oh Lord, the greatest sin in America is within the professing churches of America. The spiritual condition of America is a reflection of the failure of the church in America to proclaim and live Your holy standards. (Jeremiah 23:16-32) The pastors and people of the churches have sinned against You. Our churches are filled with sin. The lives of professing Christians in most cases are no different than those who make no claim of being a Christian. Most church members do not really want to hear the truth and be convicted about their sins. They have hired pastors who will entertain them and make them feel good about themselves. (2 Timothy 4:3-4) Most professing Christians never read their Bibles and never weep over their sins or confess them to You. The churches of America are filled with sinners who do not know You. Those on the outside of the church see this hypocrisy and have no respect for the church or the Bible. Oh God, raise up godly men who will exhibit the spirit of Elijah and take a bold stand for their Lord. Oh God, send a revival among the saved pastors that have allowed sin to keep them from having fellowship with You. May they repent and boldly proclaim the Word of God and provide their congregations with godly leadership in these days of spiritual apostasy and deception. May they not compromise Your truth. May they not be afraid of anyone but You! May they allow the Spirit of God to work through them to “reprove the word of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” (John 16:8)

Oh Lord, the church needs to awaken from its spiritual sleep and proclaim that the triune God of the Bible is the One and only God. We know that in this present society a false message of tolerance is being proclaimed. However, these who call for tolerance are intolerant when it comes to the exclusive worship of the God of the Bible. The church must lovingly and firmly take a stand on this truth. The message of the Bible is clear. Jesus Christ, and the gospel message that is anchored in His life, death, and resurrection, is the one and only message of salvation. (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5) We have been exhorted to pray for the salvation of others because our Lord “will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4) He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) Oh God, have mercy on the pastors and people in our churches in America!

Oh Lord, we deserve Your divine judgment at this very hour! We are grieving You! This nation has turned from its Biblical foundation and is promoting evil, lawlessness and rebellion in our homes, communities, schools and universities, and churches. I fear that we have gone too far. I fear that we are about to cross the spiritual point of no return. Oh Lord, I am crying out to You for mercy on behalf of my country. I do this because of the example of godly Abraham when he interceded for wicked Sodom. (Genesis 18:16-33) Oh Lord, I am praying this because Moses did this for his people. (Exodus 32:7-14) This was the heart of the great prophet Elijah, when he took that bold stand and prayed for a display of Your power to turn the heart of his people back to You. (1 Kings 18:21-40) This was the burden of Daniel and of all of the prophets of the Old Testament as You moved them to write to their people to warn them of Your divine judgment because of their sin. This was also the heart of the messages of the seven letters that our Lord Jesus sent to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3. Oh Lord, we humbly leave this matter at Your throne. We trust You and believe that because You are merciful, You will not bring divine judgment upon America until it is too late for repentance to take place in this land. (2 Peter 3:8-9) Only You know when Your Spirit can no longer strive with Americans. (Genesis 6:3)

Oh Lord, above everything else, we want You to be glorified. We are asking for mercy upon America and a revival in the land because we want to reach Americans with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We know that the day of Your divine judgment upon America and the entire world will come. May Your peace rest in our souls as You keep us in Your care as we wait for that moment when that judgment will come, or we rest in Your holy presence with You in Your heaven.

“And the Spirit and the bride [the church] say Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Revelation 22:17) “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20) Amen.

The Miserable Failure of U.S. Policies in the Middle East

For several years now the United States has attempted to intervene in the affairs of nations in the Middle East. The consequences have been disastrous and will continue to be. Barry Rubin, of the International Jerusalem Post, writes: US President Barak Obama’s administration is engaging in over a dozen failed operations in the Middle East, and reason shows just why they’re failing: The Islamists’ philosophy is totally different from theirs. The Islamists are indifferent to the cost of victory.

“Clearly, the Obama administration does not understand Middle Eastern regimes and terrorist organization, and if it doesn’t remedy this, it will continue to meet miserable defeats.” (The International Jerusalem Post, February 7-13, 2014, p. 20)

First, the U.S. needs to understand that living in the Middle Eastern neighborhood of nations is very much different from living in the West. Many in the U.S. administration assume that the core problem in the Middle East is due to socioeconomic differences between Jews and Arabs. Therefore, in their materialist, socialist mindset, if we equal the economic playing field in the Middle East, then peace will come. In reality, this has nothing to do with the way people think in the Middle East, especially Muslims.

What is happening in the Middle East is a reflection of the war in the spiritual realm. Those of us who know the Scriptures understand what is taking place in the Middle East. The Middle East is engaged in a Holy War that is leading the world toward the end of this age. In our western mindset, there is a real separation of church and state (religious and political policies). However, this is not true in the Middle East. In Arab – Islamic countries, the religion dominates the political scene and dictates to it. This is what is really behind the current “Arab Spring.” This is not, as the Western media is portraying, a move on the part of the people of the Middle East to strive for freedom and democracy. What is playing out in the Middle East is a struggle between radical Islam and moderate Islam. Neither the radicals nor the moderates desire a western style of democracy. They view this as being evil. Most Muslims in the Middle East, moderate or radical, hate the U.S. and actually believe that there is more freedom in sharia law than with western style democracy.

In the Muslim mindset, power is respected and compromise is viewed as being weak. Israeli, Barry Rubin states: “What Obama and his administration do not understand about the Middle East is that in this part of the world, he who wins is he who compromises less, not he who compromises more. … Politics in the Middle East is like a game of chicken, not a game of bridge. … No extent of compromise is going to cause radical nationalists and Islamists to make real peace.” (The International Jerusalem Post, February 7-13, 2014, p. 20)

From a human perspective, the West is attempting to force Israel to compromise with the Muslims by giving the Palestinians the West Bank. Anyone who is listening to the Palestinian leadership and the majority of Palestinians, knows that real peace will never come to the Middle East as long as there is a Jewish nation in the land they believe belongs to Allah. The Palestinian mindset is a Muslim mindset. From their perspective, the presence of the Jews in the land formerly called Palestine is a total embarrassment to their religion. No matter what the cost and how long they are forced to wait, they must wage this war until they drive out the Jews and possess all of the land. They cannot and will not acknowledge Israel as a Jewish nation.

Millions of Muslims across the Middle East are committed to their religion and believe that they are destined to rule the world. They are determined to make this come to pass for their god, Allah. They are willing to lie and die to achieve this goal. The godless West cannot engage this war because they refuse to understand that this is a war being waged in the spiritual realm. The West is in a serious state of spiritual decline and is purposely distancing itself from the only One who can help them win this war.

From a Biblical perspective, this is the final struggle that will lead to Armageddon. The warriors are taking their positions. It is only a matter of time!

Get ready for the shout that will take us out!

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2014 February – The Sign of the Red Blood Moon

The Sign of the Red Blood Moon

“And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD come.”-Joel 2:30-31

By Mike Wingfield

The Bible tells us that in the past, God spoke to His cho­sen people, Israel, in a variety of ways (Hebrews 1:1), in­cluding through signs and wonders. Our Lord’s Jewish disciples believed their prophets had declared there would be signs from the Lord at the end of this age. Consequent­ly, near the end of His earthly ministry almost 2,000 years ago, they asked Jesus: “Tell us … what shall be the sign of thy coming, and the end of the [age]?” (Matthew 24:3) Part of Jesus’ response to their question is found in Luke 21:25-27: “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of na­tions, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the pow­ers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glo­ry.” Therefore, it is clear that the last days will be marked by strange and unique celestial phenomena that include the sun and the moon.

Before, we examine the celestial signs of the last days, we need to recall to mind the words of the Apostle Paul when he declared “the Jews require a sign.” (1 Corinthians 1:22) The Scriptures indicate that the Holy One of Israel has spoken to the Jewish people through many signs, wonders, miracles, and visual aids. The ministries of many of the great prophets of Israel – Moses, Elijah, and Elisha – were accompanied by these great wonders. With powerful visual aids to communicate divine revelation, God spoke to the children of Israel in the wilderness with the Shekinah Glory, manna from heaven, and water from a rock. He directed them to build a tabernacle where He would meet with them. Many supernatural events were connected to the Ark of the Covenant. He spoke to them through the sacrificial system and the priesthood about His holiness, their sin, and the need of redemption.

When Jesus came, His ministry was also accompanied by signs, miracles, and wonders. After His ascension to heaven, the apostles continued with “the signs of an apos­tle.” (2 Corinthians 12:12) However, a close study of the New Testament will indicate that as the church became more Gentile, the Jewish apostles gradually passed off the scene. As this occurred, the signs, miracles, and wonders connected to the ministry of a Jewish messenger of God ceased. The Apostle Paul proclaimed this would happen.

(1 Corinthians 13:8)

Ultimately, the church will be raptured and the Lord will return to His divine program with Israel. When this hap­pens, supernatural signs, dreams, and visions will return to His people. Speaking to the Jewish people of the Tribu­lation Period, Joel wrote: “And it shall come to pass af­terward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your [Jewish] sons and your [Jewish] daughters shall prophesy, your [Jewish] old men shall dream dreams, your [Jewish] young men shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.” (Joel 2:28-29) In a very unique sense, a divine anointing of power and protection will be upon 144,000 young Jewish men (Revelation 7:1-8; 14:1­5) and two Jewish witnesses. (Revelation 11:3-12)

It is evident from the Scriptures, that in God’s eternal plan, the coming of the Messiah would be accompanied by amazing celestial signs. Concerning His first coming, Matthew [which many scholars agree was written for a Jewish audience] wrote: “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea … there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” (Matthew 2:1-2) Concerning the second coming of Christ, there are numerous passages that con­nect it with amazing celestial signs. Some of them are:

Isaiah 13:13; 24:23; Joel 2:27-32; 3:15; Matthew 24:29; Mark 13:24-25; Luke 21:25-27; Acts 2:16-20; Revelation 6:12-14. Within these passages, there are three that pre­dict the moon will appear to be red like blood. (Joel 2:31; Acts 2:20; and Revelation 6:12)

It is Biblically legitimate to view some amazing celestial events as supernatural signs. When Moses recorded the creation account 1,400 years before the time of Christ, He wrote: “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night, and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years.” (Genesis 1:14)

Furthermore, it must be noted that the Scriptures connect the guaranteed survival of Israel with the existence of the sun and the moon. In Jeremiah 31:36, the Lord promised:

“If those ordinances [sun, moon, & stars] depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me forever.” In another prophetic passage, Revelation 12:1, the Bible de­scribes Israel in a symbolic form which includes the sun and the moon. “And there appeared a great wonder in heaven [symbolic picture of Israel]; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars.” (Revelation 12:1) So, in a very unique sense, the signs in the sun and moon have special relevance for the Jewish people in general and the nation of Israel in particular.

In light of all of this, it is very interesting to consider the NASA reports concerning some very unique and timely celestial events that will take place in connection with the feasts of Israel this year and in 2015.

Moon Picture

Please notice that there are four red blood moons sched­uled to appear on Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) this year and in 2015. These back to back red blood moons on Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles have occurred seven times previously in history. It is sig­nificant to note that the last two times were in 1949-1950 (Israel’s War of Independence and victory over five pow­erful Arab neighbors) and in 1967-1968 (Israel’s amazing victory in just six days over the same Arab neighbors in June 1967). This leads us to ask: Are we about to witness another war in the Middle East between Israel and her Ar­ab neighbors this year or next?

Another question that is being asked is: Does the appear­ance of these four red blood moons indicate the rapture is about to occur and these red blood moons would be those predicted to take place during the Tribulation? Those who ask this question are quick to point out that these back to back red moons are not scheduled to take place again for over 100 years from now. Also, they observe that it seems apparent that the feasts of Israel are in some way a chronological presentation of the redemptive plan of God for Israel. Christ died exactly at the time of Passover. He is called “our Passover.” (1 Corinthians 5:7) His resur­rection took place on the next Jewish feast, the Feast of First Fruits. 1 Corinthians 15:23 declares that Christ is “the firstfruits” of the resurrection. The next feast was Pentecost, which is when the church began. (Acts 2) Now, looking forward, the next major Jewish feast is the Feast of Trumpets. Many connect this feast with the trumpets of the last days. The last annual Jewish feast is the Feast of Tabernacles, which many Biblical scholars connect to a symbolic reference to the millennial king­dom. So, the fact that these back to back red blood moon appear on major Jewish feasts days makes them very sig­nificant. Before we attempt to Biblically examine these considerations, it is extremely important to examine the Bible and the scientific evidence to determine what creates the conditions for a red blood moon.

Please notice that in the Biblical texts that speak of a red blood moon, there is also mention of accompanying signs on earth that will create “blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke.” (Acts 2:19; see also Joel 2:30) In Revelation 6:12 the darkened sun and red blood moon are connected to “a great earthquake.” The prophet Isaiah wrote about the massive global earthquakes of the Tribulation Period and their devastating results in Isaiah 24. In verse 23 he states that “the moon shall [blush] and the sun ashamed [cover its face]…” Collectively, it appears that these verses, as they are interpreted in their context, indicate global earthquakes will trigger global volcanic eruptions that will spew volcanic ash into the atmosphere, blocking out the sunlight during the day and making the moon have a blood-like appearance. Scientists tell us that when we see a deep red sunset or sunrise, we are looking at the light of the sun through volcanic ash in the upper atmosphere.

A red blood moon takes place during a total lunar eclipse. When the earth comes between the sun and the moon, it creates a dark shadow on the moon side of earth. [See the diagram below.] The only light of the sun that reaches the moon is the small amount that shines around the surface of the earth. If this atmosphere is filled with volcanic ash, it will cast a red light upon the surface of the moon.

Eclipse Picture

To help us grasp all of this, NASA gives the following report: “Our planet casts a long shadow. It starts on the ground–Step outside at night. You’re in Earth’s shadow. Think about it!–and it stretches almost a million miles into space, far enough to reach the moon.

“Suppose you had a personal spaceship. Here’s your mis­sion: Tonight, at midnight, blast off and fly down the mid­dle of Earth’s shadow. Keep going until you’re about 200,000 miles above Earth, almost to the moon. Now turn around and look down. The view from your cockpit win­dow is Earth’s nightside, the dark half of our planet oppo­site the sun. But it’s not completely dark! All around Earth’s limb, the atmosphere glows red.

“What you’re seeing is every sunrise and sunset on Earth-­all at once. This ring of light shines into Earth’s shadow, breaking the utter darkness you might expect to find there. Turn off the cockpit lights. There’s a lovely red glow.

“That same red light plays across the moon when it’s in­side Earth’s shadow. The exact color depends on what’s floating around in Earth’s atmosphere. Following a volcan­ic eruption, for instance, dust and ash can turn global sun­sets vivid red. The moon would glow vivid red, too.” (www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/watchtheskies/13oct_luna reclipse.html)

Those who want to be adamant that these red blood moons are heralding the Tribulation Period should be very cau­tious. While it is possible that these red blood moons could occur in the Tribulation Period, we cannot be abso­lutely positive. One must remember that NASA and other scientists are making their predictions based upon what has been normal according to our historical and scientific data. The unique geological and celestial developments of the Tribulation demand caution on our part when draw­ing any hard conclusions concerning the chronology of future prophetic events. Nothing like the Tribulation Pe­riod has ever occurred in the history of creation. This will be an unprecedented time of geological, climatic, and ce­lestial upheaval. While speaking about the wrathful di­vine judgments that will come upon the earth during this time, Jesus declared: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, nor, nor ever shall be. … the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.” (Matthew 24:21, 29) The prophet Zephaniah described this time as “a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick dark­ness.” (Zephaniah 1:15)

The uniqueness of this period of time is also seen in the impact of the days of great darkness that will come upon the earth due to the collecting volcanic ash in the upper atmosphere. At first, one-third of the atmosphere will be darkened, blotting out the sunlight during the day. (Reve­lation 8:12) Finally, when the end of the Tribulation comes, the entire earth will be enveloped in darkness. (Revelation 16:10) Under normal conditions, this would produce another global ice age. However, just the oppo­site will occur. The inhabitants will suffer increasing scorching heat. (Malachi 4:1; Revelation 16:9) No one can pretend to understand how the Lord will bring about these unique developments. The uniqueness of the celes­tial and geological developments in the Tribulation Period cannot rule out more red blood moons and solar eclipses that are not anticipated by scientists. We must not rule out God’s sovereign rule over His creation. For example, the Lord gave a sign to King Hezekiah, turning the shadow of the sun back 10 degrees. (2 Kings 20:8-11)

I am not trying to minimize the impact that the approach­ing red blood moons this year and next will have as defi­nite signs of the end of this age. In light of the context of the Middle East at this moment, it is very apparent that these red blood moons are heralding some significant de­velopment that relates to Israel. However, no one can pre­tend to know what they are or when these events will take place.

As we watch all of these signs it should create a spirit of expectancy in all of our lives. We should all stand in awe of the possibility that we could be in the presence of our Lord before the sun sets tonight. For those of us who are saved, it should motivate us to be holy – set apart from this godless, wicked, and immoral culture in which we live.

When He comes, will you be ashamed or confident of the record of your life? “And now, little children, abide in him; that when he shall appear, we may have confidence,

and not be ashamed before him at his coming.” (1 John 2:28) Are you abiding in Christ? To abide in Christ is to live in His presence. Read John 15:1-11. When we abide in Christ we will also feel at home in the Bible. It will strengthen us so that we will produce fruit (works) that will glorify our Lord. Are you at home in the Bible? Are you involved in His work for His glory? If the answer to these questions is “no,” then you had better repent or you will “be ashamed before him at his coming.” (1 John 2:28)

“Therefore, be ye also ready; for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 24:44) Get ready for the shout that will take us out!

Palestinians and Putin Join Hands

Debka File, a special website dedicated to reporting mili­tary and intelligence insights into the Middle East, reports: “Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) launched his ‘diplomatic intifada’ against Israel and exit from the Kerry peace initiative Thursday, Jan. 23, from Moscow. His meetings with President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev marked his breakaway from the US-led peace process with Israel, four months before it was due to expire, and signaled his bid for Russian backing for a Palestinian state.”

(www.debka.com)- link only works if you have a paid subscription to debka.com

This move by Abbas caught the Americans and Israelis completely off guard. It means that all of the recent ef­forts to bring about a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have been openly rejected by the Pal­estinians.

As if this was not enough shock, the Palestinian leadership signed an agreement with the Russians that would allow the Russians to develop a $1 billion natural gas project off

the coast of Gaza. This is very troubling because Abbas’

government is not in control of Gaza and British Gas al­ready has the rights to this area. Israelis are concerned that the Russians are making a move to get a share of the valuable oil and gas deposits in the Mediterranean just off of their coastal area.

“The Palestinian leader began his conversation with Putin by calling Russia a “great power” that deserved to play a more prominent role in the volatile Middle East region. …The Palestinians have clearly opted to follow the exam­ples of other Middle East leaders, ranging from Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to Syria’s Bashar Assad, Saudi

King Abdullah and Egyptian strongman Abdel-Fatteh El-Sisi, in making tracks, overtly or covertly, to Moscow. They are opening the door for Russia to fill the void left by American disengagement from the region under the Obama administration.” (www.debka.com– same article-link only works if you have a paid subscription to debka.com)

This report definitely illustrates that Russia has its eyes on the wealth in Israel and is casting its lot with the Arab Muslims. This is certainly setting the stage for the Gog and Magog invasion mentioned in Ezekiel 38-39. Accord­ing this prophecy, the vast wealth in Israel will be one of the reasons behind this Russia/Islamic invasion of Israel.

(Ezekiel 38:12-13)

The Ugly Face of Anti-Semitism

I have made many trips to Israel in the last 29 years. Most of my memories of these trips are very pleasant and have enabled me to understand the Bible, especially Biblical prophecy. The one unpleasant, yet very important, part of my tours to Israel has been a visit to Yad Vashem, Israel’s memorial to the Holocaust and the six million Jewish peo­ple who perished. I would never take a tour to Israel without a visit to Yad Vashem. It has been my practice to make this the last stop on my tour before our group travels to Ben Gurion airport for our trip back home. I want those who travel with me to never forget the Holocaust and what happen there. Anyone who visits this museum will know why there needs to be a Jewish nation called Israel. The Jewish people need to have a home of their own where they can defend themselves against the historical hatred that can be found throughout the pages of history . The Holocaust museum is overwhelming. If a person were to meticulously analyze the records, displays, exhibi­tions, and recorded testimonies, it could take about three days. Each time I visit this place I am moved to tears. I find it hard to grasp how anyone could be filled with hate! It is shocking to me how anyone, and especially those who claim to be Christians, can despise and hate the Jewish people. I have a very deep love for Israel and her people and constant pray for their safety in their land.

The Arab/Islamic world denies the Holocaust. They say it never happened. It is my observation that the Holocaust is one of the most documented events in the 20th century. The Nazis were proud of what they did and they kept me­ticulous records and photos to document what they did. In April, 2006, Germany made these records available to the public. “The files, which make up one of the largest Hol­ocaust archives in the world, are more than 15 miles long and hold up to 50 million documents, some seized by the Allies as they liberated concentration camps.” (http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Germany-to-release­Holocaust-archives-2499590.php)-link only goes to the front page, store has been removed/deleted.

The world just recognized International Holocaust Day on January 27th, the day the Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated by the Allies in 1945. Yet, this is nothing compared to Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day each spring. Sirens wail all over Israel for two minutes. Every person stops what they are doing and stands in complete silence for two minutes. Cars on the highway stop and all passengers get out of their automobiles to stand in memory of the six million Jews who perished in the Holo­caust.

The shocking evidence that our world is moving toward another Holocaust is evident both in the Scripture and the growing trends of anti-Semitism around the world. The most virulent expressions of hatred expressed toward the Jewish people are found in the Middle East among the Islamic populations. For thirteen centuries, Islam has treated Jews as being subhuman and demonic. Hatred toward Jews today is collectively aimed at the nation of Israel. Every facet of Islamic life promotes the destruction of Israel. Mein Kampf, Hitler’s diatribe against the Jews, remains a best seller throughout the Islamic world. Iran continues to call Israel a “cancer” that needs to be re­moved. The Islamic leadership of Iran continues to call for the annihilation of Israel. As with Hitler’s threats against Jews, the world is once again deaf, or does not seem to care that six million Jews in Israel could perish should Iran launch a relatively small nuclear bomb against the tiny nation of Israel.

Long ago, the prophet Moses prophesied that the Jewish people would be scattered among the nations and find no place of acceptance among them. (Deuteronomy 28:63­67) However, the Lord directed Moses to proclaim that in the last days the Lord would bring His people back to the land of Israel. (Deuteronomy 30:1-6) There are dozens of prophetic Scriptures which proclaim that the Jewish peo­ple would return to their land in the last days. These same prophetic passages declare that when the Jewish people return to their land, the world would join the nations sur­rounding Israel and attempt to annihilate the Jewish peo­ple. (Ezekiel 36:1-9; Joel 3:1-17; Zechariah 12:1-14:3)

This hatred for the Jewish people will culminate during the final seven years of this age before the Messiah, Jesus Christ, returns at Armageddon. During this final seven years, two-thirds of the world’s Jewish population will be exterminated. (Zechariah 13:8-9) Until the time comes when the Lord will rescue Israel, it is the duty and privi­lege of the Lord’s people to stand by Israel. We need to support the Jewish people with our love and prayers. We need to stand with the Lord and His people, Israel.

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2013 September – Violence and the End of a Culture

Violence and the End of a Culture

By Mike Wingfield

Violence is permeating our world at every level of socie­ty. The Middle East is spiraling out of control with vio­lence as radical Islam flexes its muscle in an attempt to terrorize the world into submission. Islam’s ultimate goal is to dominate the world and subject it to Allah. Violent attacks against individuals across Europe and around the world are viewed by Muslims as acts of obedience to the Koran’s commands to wage holy war against the infidels. Moderate Muslims are also being targeted who refuse to submit to the ritualistic law of the Koran in their daily lives. At the same time, all cultures are experiencing an escalating violence in their societies. Here in the U.S., our educational institutions have become places of vio­lence. Bullying has become an all too familiar occur­rence. Our daily news media are filled with graphic sto­ries involving of murder and violence. We talk about road rage, violence acts against women, children, and infants in the womb. In addition, violence associated with wars has become all-too common for millions living in our world. All the while, our entertainment industries thrive on sell­ing violence. Sports, music, video games, television pro­gramming, and movies are filling the minds of consumers with an increasing diet of graphic violence.

Before we turn to the Bible to understand what all of this means, let us listen to the concerns of some in the secular world who are very alarmed by the increase of violence in our culture. The Media Education Foundation [www.mediaed.org] reports the following facts about me­dia violence: “Research indicates that media violence has not just increased in quantity; it has also become more graphic, sexual, and sadistic. By the time the average child is eighteen years old, they will have witnessed 200,000 acts of violence and 16,000 murders. Media vio­lence is especially damaging to young children (under 8) because they cannot easily tell the difference between real life and fantasy. Most of the top-selling video games (89%) contain violent content, almost half of which was of a serious nature. The level of violence during Saturday morning cartoons is higher than the level of violence dur­ing prime time. There are 3-5 violent acts per hour on prime time, versus 20-25 acts per hour on Saturday morn­ing. Nearly 75 percent of violent scenes on television fea­ture no immediate punishment for or condemnation of violence.” (www.mediaed.org)

According to the Bible, when violence permeates a cul­ture it ultimately leads to self-destruction and the judg­ment of God. For example, a permeation of violence in the culture during Noah’s day led to divine judgment of the entire world. In Genesis 6, the Lord has given us a written indictment on Noah’s generation. The Bible clear­ly states that the moral climate during Noah’s time pro­voked God’s holy wrath in the form of a global flood. That society had become morally “corrupt.” (Genesis 6:11-13) A part of that moral corruption was violence. Notice that the Lord repeatedly told Noah: “the earth is filled with violence.” (Genesis 6:11, 13) This simply means that the people of Noah’s age were in love with sensuality and violence. Their minds were continually filled with pornographic and violent images. Note Gene­sis 6:5: “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” They enjoyed it: Immorality and violence no longer produced any shame or guilt in their consciences. They explored it: Searching for more bizarre and sadistic forms of wicked­ness. They embraced it: Violence became normal, bring­ing a change in their lifestyle. They proudly exported it: Spreading their sin to engage others in their shame.

Let us examine five Biblical considerations about vio­lence:

1. The Biblical Definition of Violence

After doing research on this subject, I am convinced that very few Christian leaders or believers understand the Biblical view of violence. It is most interesting to observe that the Hebrew word that is translated “violence” in Genesis 6 is “hamas.” Please note that this is the name of the Islamic terrorist group in the Gaza Strip that has been chosen by the Palestinian population to govern them. This Islamic terrorist group wears the badge of Islamic jihad with great pride. They have openly adopted the name VIOLENCE. Their charter openly calls for the complete annihilation of the Jewish population in Israel from the Mediterranean Sea to the Jordan River – all of the land of Israel! Everyone in the Middle East knows that Hamas and another radical Islamic element, the Muslim Brother­hood are the same group. They have different names, but they are two different divisions of the same organization. It is their stated purpose to fill the earth with violence to accomplish their agenda of global control for the glory of their God – Allah.

The Hebrew word, “hamas”, means: to bring great harm to people both physically and mentally… to act in a way that is destructive, hateful, lawless, disrespectful, wicked, wild, ruthless, or brutal. Often, these actions are accom­panied by loud expressions of hate. Proverbs 10:6 states: “violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.” According to the Bible, violence is an action, gesture, or expression due to the lack of moral restraint. In Amos 3:9-10, the Lord informed Israel that the governments of Ashdod (the Gaza Strip today), Egypt, and “the mountains of Samaria” (the “West Bank” today) “know not to do right” while they “store up violence and robbery in their palaces.” Clearly, the Lord stated that these former and present en­emies of Israel are filled with violence against His people because they lack moral restraint.

Violence is an expression of defiance and disrespect for the very basic code of behavior that the Spirit of God wishes to instill in the conscience of mankind. Violence, and its ultimate expression – murder, are the exact oppo­sites of the character and nature of God. (Read 1 John 2:11-16) The Biblical law of God, and specifically the 10 Commandments, are aimed at a reverence for God and respect for human beings who have been created in the image of God. The law of God supports and promotes the very foundation of life. Therefore, violence is the result of a total departure from this law and its author – God! In essence, the culture that espouses violence is in a mode of self-destruction! The testimony of Scripture indicates that murderers and those who commit acts of violence against human beings are acting like Satan, not God! In John 8:44, Jesus called Satan “a murderer from the beginning.” In Revelation 9:11, Satan is called “Abaddon” (Hebrew for “destroyer”), and “Apollyon” (Greek for “destroyer”).

2. The Cultural Impact of Violence

From the very beginning, God instructed Israel that vio­lence and murder defile a culture. Read Numbers 35:29-34. In response to willful murder, God demanded capital punishment. In verse 31 God said: “Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death.”

When expressions of violence are allowed to permeate a culture, they will create a society that is void of a godly conscience, leading to increasing levels of wickedness, lawlessness, sensuality, and brutality. When a society travels down the path of depravity and rebellion from God, they will suppress “the truth in unrighteousness.” (Romans 1:18) This will lead to “their foolish [con­science being] darkened.” (Romans 1:21) Eventually, they are “filled with …. murder” and many other forms of violence and wickedness. (Romans 1:29 -32)

3. The Divine Judgment due to the Permeation of Violence in a Culture

A study of the Bible and human history will demonstrate that cultures filled with violence come to an end. That is because violence brings a lack of fear or respect for God. This is visually manifested in their lack of respect for man, who has been created in the image of God. The Bi­ble consistently teaches that our love and respect for God is clearly illustrated by how we treat others. (Exodus 20:1­17; Matthew 22:34-40; 1 John 4:20-21) While comment­ing on Genesis 6:11, Matthew Henry, a godly leader and author of a well-known Bible commentary a few genera­tions ago, wrote: “Take away conscience and the fear of God, and men become beasts and devils to one another, like fishes of the sea, where the greater devour the less. Sin fills the earth with violence, and so turns the world into a wilderness, into a cock-pit.”

When a culture reaches this spiritual point of no return, the Spirit of God can no longer “strive with man.” (Gene­sis 6:3) As a result, God’s holiness demands that He de­stroy that culture in divine judgment. It has happened several times in human history and it will happen once again. The global violence today, as in the days of Noah, is demanding the divine judgment of God. That global judgment will take place on a global scale during the sev­en-year tribulation period.

4. The Violence at the End of this Age

After the restraining influence on sin through the minis­try of the Holy Spirit in the church has been removed at the Rapture, the world will erupt into a cycle of violence and murder that is unprecedented in the history of man. This violence will be aimed at Israel, the Jewish people (Daniel 12:1; Revelation 12:6, 13-17) and believers in Je­sus Christ. (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 6:9-11; 13:7; 17:6; 20:4) Leading the violence will be the religion of Islam (pictured as the harlot in Revelation 17-18), and the Islam­ic Antichrist and his false prophet. (Revelation 13:15) Early in the Tribulation Period, the Antichrist will engage in a global jihad “to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another.” (Revelation 6:4) The opening months of the Tribulation will feature a bloody war of jihad that will result in the death of one-fourth of the world’s population. (Revelation 6:8)

At this very hour, violence and death are being waged by Muslims against the Christian populations in Syria, Egypt and throughout the Middle East. It is a powerful witness to what is coming in the immediate future. If the West does not act against these radical Islamic elements to stop the killing of innocent Christians, this war will spread to Europe and the United States. It is only a matter of time before this happens. The free world was standing in a similar place only 73 years ago when Hitler was brutally murdering Jews and taking control of the countries of Eu­rope. Humanly speaking, if the free world does not re­spond, the forces of evil will multiply and violence will fill the earth. Only the Lord knows what course the world will take in the next few months and years. With America and Europe being swept into socialism, it appears that they will not rise to the occasion. They fail to heed the lessons from World War II only two generations ago.

My father and father-in-law fought in World War II. am very thankful for the sacrifice they and millions of others made to protect our freedom from Nazi and Japa­nese tyranny. They willingly made these sacrifices be­cause our American leadership recognized the need to deal with critical threats to our faith and freedom. However, today, many in our leadership not only lack the resolve to do something about this threat, but are supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, the perpetrator of the growing vio­lence in the Middle East and around the world. Can you image what would have happened during World War II if the United States had sided with the Nazis? Yet, that is what is occurring at this very hour. America is standing in the wrong place in the war against evil. Most tragically, we are not standing on moral high ground with God. America has morally collapsed. It is shocking to think of what has happened to our blessed country in the last 70 years.

May God have mercy on America!

5. Biblical Admonitions Concerning Violence

The message of the Bible is very clear – God hates vio­lence. When violence flows out of the human heart to harm or kill human beings for selfish gain or hatred, it arouses the anger of God. It must be understood that there is a righteous anger or indignation that flows out of the very holy character of God. Finally, after being patient for thousands of years with the violence of the wicked, Jesus will systematically deliver His holy wrath against the sin­ful masses through massive global judgments for seven years. At the end of the Tribulation Period, Jesus will vis­ibly and bodily return to this earth and speak a word of holy judgment and death against the armies of the world gathered against Him and Israel at Armageddon. Revela­tion 19:15 says He will “smite the nations… and tread the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” At the end of this battle, the Lord will invite the birds of prey to feast on the corpses of the thousands who will have fallen on the mountains of Israel. (Revelation 19:17­18)

Sometimes, war and violence must be waged against the wicked who are murdering others. God demands this of human governments! (Read Genesis 9:6; Numbers 35:29-34; Romans 13:1-4) For example, God used the nation of Israel to carry out His righteous judgment against the wicked and murderers of Canaan. (Deuteron­omy 18:9-14) The Lord will use the nation of Israel in the last days to destroy the nations that are killing His people. (Jeremiah 51:19-23)

Psalm 11:5 states that the Lord hates those who “love violence.” During the millennium, the Lord will directly exercise His divine sovereignty over the nations of the world. He will not permit any violence or war! Isaiah 2:4 declares: “And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into prun­inghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” The war-torn Middle East, which has been ravaged with violence since the days of Abraham, will finally become a place of peace. Those who will be saved out of the former Arab/Islamic nations in the Middle East and survive the Tribulation will be spiritually transformed. They will no longer hate Isra­el, but will confess that the Jewish people are the people of God, and will bless those they have hated for genera­tions. (Isaiah 60:6-19) Please notice Isaiah 60:14: “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” Because of this heart change among the Arab nations, the Lord has joyfully declared to Israel: “Violence shall no more be heard in thy land.” (Isaiah 60:18) Fi­nally, true peace will come upon the cities of Israel. The great prophet of God, Isaiah, wrote about this: “And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (Isaiah 35:10)

As individual children of God we should be known as peace makers, not troublemakers. Jesus declared: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9) The Scriptures exhort the individual believer: “[Return] to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be pos­sible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Romans 12:17-19)

As believers, we must protect our consciences by refrain­ing from viewing or listening to violent expressions of any kind. We must not permit violence to enter our homes or minds with any level of acceptance or pleasure! We must guard our ears and eyes from any kind of violence that can desensitize our conscience. (Proverbs 4:23-27) We must fill our minds with Scripture and God’s way of peace. The Bible demands: “Follow peace with all men, and ho­liness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” (He­brews 12:14) We are exhorted to let grace and peace be multiplied in our hearts. When the Apostle Peter began his final epistle, he began with the exhortation: “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.” (2 Peter 1:2) When we walk in the power of the Holy Spirit, we will be persons of peace. Read Galatians 5:22-23.

As violence escalates around the world and especially in the Middle East, we need to remember that Jesus taught that evil thoughts and murder come out of the human heart. (Matthew 15:19) The only real answer to the vio­lence in our world is in the person of Jesus Christ – the Prince of Peace. After He judges the nations with His ho­ly wrath, He will establish His kingdom of peace. That peace will be maintained by the firm hand of our Lord as He rules the nations “with a rod of iron.” (Revelation 12:5) Also, the fear of the Lord will permeate the nations because “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” (Habak­kuk 2:14) That is why He has instructed us to pray: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heav­en.” (Matthew 6:10) Come, Lord Jesus. We need you more than ever before!

Descending into Darkness

According to the prophetic Word of God, the world will descend into one of the darkest periods of human history before King Jesus returns to establish His kingdom. Con­trasting the spiritual light that will dawn upon this earth at the beginning of our Lord’s kingdom with the spiritual darkness that will precede it, the prophet Isaiah wrote: “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee [Israel], and his glory shall be seen upon thee.” (Isaiah 60:1-2)

From a human perspective it appears that mankind is falling into the dark, deep pit of depravity that will engulf the wicked during the Tribulation Period. The world is in a moral, spiritual, and economic free-fall. The nations are embracing Islam, worshipping Allah. At the same time, Christians are being killed and persecuted, and many hate the name of “Jesus.” Violence is permeating the global culture, and the threat of war in the Middle East seems to increase with each passing day.

It is not an accident that the Middle East is going through a major shift in the political/religious power-structure that controls the region. Israel finds itself sur­rounded by nations where national sovereignties are breaking down and radical elements of global Islamic ji­had are taking control.

Egypt, the largest Arab/Islamic country in the Middle East, is descending into a very dangerous cycle of vio­lence as moderate Muslims attempt to regain control of their country from the radical elements who were in con­trol. The radicals have seized the moment to attack the Christian community, claiming that they were responsible for the overthrow of Mohamed Morsi’s presidency, a prominent leader of the Muslim Brotherhood. Christians are being brutally attacked and killed. More than 60 churches have been destroyed by those who are supporters of the radical Muslim movement in Egypt. The outcome of this struggle for power in Egypt will be very critical to the future of the entire Middle East.

The two-year old war in Syria has claimed over 100,000 lives, many of whom were Christians killed by the radical Islamic rebels that are attempting to take control of Syria. The world has learned that the Syrian government used chemical weapons to kill thousands of its own people. Consequently, the world is about to topple the Assad re­gime to allow the rebels to take control of Syria. Several radical factions are fighting on the side of the rebel forces. The two major factions are the Muslim Brotherhood and Al Qaeda. So, the West, including the U.S., is arming Al Qaeda in the attempt to overthrow Assad. Isn’t it odd that the very same Islamic group we have attempted to destroy for several years in Afghanistan, we are now supporting in Syria?

It should be alarming for people when they realize that the Western powers are involved in turning the Middle East over to the very radical Islamic groups that have de­clared jihad against the West. This is very dangerous for Israel, the U.S., and the entire free world. There appears to be only two logical explanations for the West’s support of these radical jihadist groups. These governments must be operating in total moral and intellectual darkness, hav­ing been deceived by these groups. Or, they are joining hands with evil to enhance and promote their own agen­das. It is my opinion that it is the later of these two expla­nations.

It is possible that if the Lord does not come first, we will witness the beginning of a New World Order that will fea­ture a political marriage between socialism and Islam. An examination of the current working system within the United Nations will reveal that this is already becoming a reality. The political marriage will be very bad for be­lievers in Jesus Christ and all Jews, and especially the na­tion of Israel.

According to several sources, Israel realizes that it is only a matter of time before these Islamic forces will join together to attack the Jewish state. Israeli Lt.-Col. Jackie Ben-Yakar recently stated: “Our working assumption is an attack will happen. It’s only a matter of time. We are preparing for hostile action, we’re preparing the forces, training them, and keeping up their operational readiness.”

(The International Jerusalem Post, August 2-8, 2013, p. 12) It is my opinion that this war will set the stage for the one mentioned in Ezekiel 38-39.

As the world descends into this time of great deception and spiritual darkness, we need to remember the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11. Please take time to read this Scripture. It is time for the church of Je­sus Christ to awake out of its apathy and prepare for our departure. “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” (Romans 13:11)

A War against Christianity

In a recent article by Michael Snyder, “The Name Of Jesus Has Become A Dirty Word In Politically Correct America,” he warns that a real war on Christianity is un­folding in America. He gives the following examples:

“Evidence of this war on Christianity is everywhere these days. The following are just a few examples…

-An elementary school in North Carolina ordered a little six-year-old girl to remove the word “God” from a poem that she wrote to honor her two grandfathers that had served in the Vietnam War.

-The Ohio Statehouse banned Christian pastors from using the name of Jesus when they open up the daily sessions with prayer.

-The use of the name of Jesus was also forbidden in all prayers opening sessions of the North Carolina State-House.

-Last year, a federal appeals court ruled that prayers be­fore commission meetings in Forsyth County, North Caro­lina that included the name of Jesus were unconstitutional.

-Earlier this year, a Florida Atlantic University student that refused to stomp on the name of Jesus was banned from class.

-A student at Sonoma State University was ordered to take off a cross that she was wearing because someone “could be offended”.

-A teacher in New Jersey was fired for giving his own Bi­ble to a student that did not own one.

-An open air preacher in Illinois was recently threatened with arrest for “scaring people” with the message of the gospel.

-Volunteer chaplains for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Po­lice Department have been banned from using the name of Jesus in their public prayers. Sadly, this is not an isolated incident. Chaplains all over the nation are now being banned from using the name of Jesus.

A recently released 140 page report entitled “The Survey of Religious Hostility in America” included some more examples of how Christianity is being systematically op­pressed in America today…

A federal judge threatened ‘incarceration’ to a high school valedictorian unless she removed references to Jesus from her graduation speech.

City officials prohibited senior citizens from praying over their meals, listening to religious messages or singing gospel songs at a senior activities center.

A public school official prevented a student from handing out flyers inviting her classmates to an event at her church.

A public university’s law school banned a Christian or­ganization because it required its officers to adhere to a statement of faith that the university disagreed with.

The U.S. Department of Justice argued before the Su­preme Court that the federal government can tell churches and synagogues which pastors and rabbis it can hire and fire.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs banned the men­

tion of God from veterans’ funerals, overriding the wishes of the deceased’s families.

A federal judge held that prayers before a state House of Representatives could be to Allah but not to Jesus.” (www.theendoftheamericandream.com, July 25, 2013)

We live in the presence of God. Where ever we go, He is there. As believers, He is with us and in us. Do you acknowledge His presence? Proverbs 3:6