Into the Gauntlet

Daniel 12:1-3 "And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of troubles, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to everlasting shame and contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."

This is a passage of scripture that I refer to often, however, there's a specific reason to referring to it here. The saints of God; those who have been to calvary and know Jesus Christ; we need to keep our hearts on the world to come and be aware of the things which are coming to pass. The end time events which are coming to fruition even as you read this will be more tragic than any other notable events in history. I'm striving to avoid debate over rapture timing in this post; it's being written for anyone who "has ears to hear" concerning this matter. My exhortation to all is to pray over, and search the scriptures. Do it with all sincerety; take off the goggles of tradition encased in doctrinal teachings and really "hear what the Spirit sayeth unto the churches." You owe it to yourself to seek the truth and not just follow the concensus. If the concensus is accurate than uphold it, however, if it's an error, you're setting yourself up for shipwreck. A "white lie" can destroy you faster than cyanide.

In referring to the end times, the bible speaks primarily in broad concepts which often get misassigned to various events in history. For example, if you lived in Europe around 1939, it would have been "blatently clear to you" that Adolph Hitler was the man of sin. While it is true that Adolph Hitler was a foreshadowing of the man of sin, he wasn't the one to cause the whole world to follow him. While he, like the antichrist, had a charismatic personality coupled with a very occultic belief system, there was never a false prophet to perform false signs and his regime never consumed the whole world. He did enter peaceably, but conquered through war until his demise. Nonetheless, the picture set forth by the Nazis gives us a blueprint of how the beast government will operate. (You may not know this, but Adolph Hitler was elected into office)

Daniel 8:23 "And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

What does this tell us? Simply this: in the last days there will be a vile person who will put himself into the fray. Until that moment he will operate in the shadows. He will have an extensive understanding of the occult and will use these entities to his advantage. Just a note concerning this. Anyone who'se playing with ouija boards, tarot cards or any form of divination, consulting with mediums, or whatever it is that one might do for the sake of "fun" or so called "enlightenment;" you are interacting with entities which are unbelievably dangerous. Entities which may pose as a "spirit guide" or an "angel of light" but in reality, want you to share their fate; that being an eternity in a lake of fire. There are people, very close to me, who have been ruined by such forces.

Daniel 8:24 "And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.

This man will be very powerful but the power wont be of himself. He's going to destroy and "be prosperous" for a season. He will make war with the saints as also told in Daniel chapter seven and Revelation chapter thirteen. I believe that this is the time in which the great falling away will take place. The "great falling away must transpire before the man of sin is revealed. As I write this, I realize that 98% of the church is expecting a pre-tribulation rapture. (I'm sorry; it came up and must be addressed) When the man of sin is revealed, and these folks find themselves still here, I wonder how many will still hold to their faith; knowing of the events that they had been told would only befall the carnal christians who were "LEFT BEHIND." In the days to come, the faith of the saints will be tried in ways that we can't imagine and it's imperative to establish the heart NOW! You must understand how deceptive this man will be. He will be empowered directly by Satan. Satan is so deceptive that he caused a third of the angels to abandon their first estate in heaven. He's a smooth operator and we live in a generation that's fasinated by "smooth operators." Smooth talking preachers draw tens of thousands as they proclaim an earth-based fleshy gospel that keeps the heart anchored to the "here and now" instead of longing to be in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Daniel 8:25 "And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

This verse is packed full of insight. Once again, there's a reference to the occultic background that will be made to prosper during this time. If you look at the United States, our culture is already on board. Movies, books, and television programs which feature diverse forms of sorcery, extraterrestrials, or anything with a supernatural theme that's apart from God, top the lists of popularity. This gives us a clear picture as to what's lurking in the hearts of men these days. The one world religion that will emerge from the "big ecumenical tent" derived from every faction under the sun, will have a very anti christian theme supported by false signs and lying wonders. It's going to look like the "real dea"l and undiscerning will flock to it. As I write this, the pope (you know, the next to the last one) is visiting Turkey in an effort to "unite" islam and christianity. As this process unfolds, both here and in other venues, it will take on a nature that's blatantly anti-christian. I was just pondering this. We quote the verse where "strong delusions" are mentioned, on a regular basis. But when you begin to analyze the various facets, it boggles your mind as to the scope of it. Truly, the stage is set; this cannot be denied.

Also learned in this verse is how the man of sin will destroy through peace. The ecumenical movement is one of peace. (Can't we all get along?) The United Nations professes to be an entity of peace. Peace should be breaking out all over. We know that peace is definately NOT breaking out all over, however the antichrist will instill a pseudo peace and the masses will flock to him. He will also magnify himself in his heart, according to Daniel 8:25. He may come across as one who only wants to serve, but in his heart, he will be king and his policies will reflect this self-perception.

"HE SHALL BE BROKEN WITHOUT HAND! What does this mean? Simply this. Jesus Christ will return with the saints. The antichrist; along with all who follow him will be utterly destroyed by the brightness of his coming. Yesterday I did a post on the other site on what happens when folks have a close encounter with God. It can be viewed at:

www.timbob.wordpress.com

The Day of the Lord will be a day like no other day in history. The false prophet will send forth devils working miracles to draw the armies of the earth into battle at Armageddon. It is at this time when Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords will appear and utterly defeat them. The beast and the false prophet will be cast into the lake of fire and Jesus will establish the millenial reign. This will be a time of heaven on earth as complete righteousness covers the earth. In an earlier post I remember commentiong on what it would be like if everyone just abided by the principles set forth in the sermon on the mount. (Matthew chapters 5-7) When Jesus reigns, this will be the norm. There will be peace on earth. The devil will be locked up in the bottomless pit and unable to deceive the nations. (Until the thousand years are over and he must be loosed a short season. This is a different topic that will be equally important as that moment approaches.)

The conclusion is this: Jesus is returning sooner than you think. Prior to his return there's going to be unparalleled tribulation in the world. Tribulation so horrific, that if the Lord didn't return at the appointed time, there would be nobody left alive. In other words, the population of the earth would drop from 6.5 billion down to zero. FOR THE ELECTS SAKE those days are shortened as there will be some standing here who shall not taste of death until Jesus returns. Saints of God; we need to stay focused on the things that REALLY MATTER and not get caught up in all of the frivilous sideshows of this generation. These things are coming to pass. Establish your heart, seek the Lord Jesus Christ wholeheartedly and abide in him continuously. Don't go wandering off. (I wandered off once. It was very dangerous and definately NOT FUN) The hour is upon us; this I feel with an urgency like never before. My sincere prayer is that anyone who should pass by this would seriously ponder these things.

Mark 13:35-37 "Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, watch.

Revelation 16:15 "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame."

If They had Stood in My Councel

Jeremiah 23:26-29 "How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart; Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbor, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal. The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD. Is not my word like a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?"

We live in an era in which falsehood lies in wait around every corner; a problem that has existed throughout history. The devil offers up an array of false teachings to obscure the truth of Gods word. These delusions always appeal to the flesh and usually contain a healthy dose of "smooth things" to make them easier to swallow. A pristine example of this would be reincarnation. It appeals to the flesh because it suggests that after death, you get to come back as a new person and "DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN." It's also a smooth thing because there is no judgment and no consequences for a self-serving lifestyle. There are also prophets who claim to represent God who speak smooth things. I don't remember the name or the source, but there was a report of a televangelist who, prior to the war in Iraq, prophesied that we would have a swift victory and that "NOT ONE AMERICAN would lose their life." Well that's definatly a smooth saying, however, in hindsight, it's tragically false as the loss of 2800 Americans will attest. A true word from the Lord will always come to pass; be it a pleasing thing or a not so pleasing thing. If a person proclaims that God showed them how such and such will take place at a particular time and it doesn't come to pass, that person spoke a vision of their own imagination.

Proverbs 14:25 "A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies."

Truth can be unpleasent and even brutal at times, but it will lead to the deliverance of the hearer who takes heed. Likewise, a lie will lead one down the road to perdition every time; regardless of how pleasing it sounds. I'm going to venture into something that most will disagree with, however, the pre-tribulation rapture falls into this category. It teaches that the church is going to be taken out of here before anything too crazy comes to pass. We won't have to endure; we'll be just sitting in our recliners watching "something" and suddenly, be raptured. Then the tribulation will begin. This error is causing MILLIONS to not prepare themselves spiritually for the times ahead. They're not drawing ever closer to the Lord Jesus; in fact many of them are quite comfy in this present world as they heap to themselves treasures for the last days. This is something that I talk on quite often because multitudes are not ready to stand the fiery trial of their faith. This teaching of a pre-tribulation rapture will lead to the shipwreck of many. As I have asked before, please don't take my word for it. I'm a sinner, saved by grace, who sees through a glass darkly, just like every saint. PLEASE search it out "diligently" and "prayerfully." DO NOT follow another person blindly without examining what they're proclaiming.

Jeremiah 23:21-23 "I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my councel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?

These's so much packed into these verses. These prophets didn't seek the word of the Lord. They didn't spend time in sweet communion with the most high; they just ran and proclaimed "thus saith the Lord." Their words didn't turn people from their sin as verse 22 will attest. But if they had waited on the Lord, he would have used them to proclaim his truth. (Of course, proclaiming truth often led to one being ostracized and, in many cases, killed.) Truth will reveal a problem such as sin and the wise will take heed to it. A lie will cover up a sin or a fault so that the hearer "feels better" but is still lacking much needed understanding and deliverance. The problem is merely "covered up" and will continue to grow.

Deuteronomy 11:18-19 "Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."

Psalm 119:1-4 "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with a whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently."

This is such a basic statement, however, folks get into all kinds of trouble when they abandon the word of God. Staying in the holy bible diligently and allowing the Holy Ghost to reveal things to you will keep you from going astray. Any vision or revelation; if it truly comes from God, it will line up with scripture as God is not the author of confusion. When you search the scriptures, you are "standing in Gods councel."

Job 38:36 "Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?

Jeremiah 33:3 "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not."

Matthew 10:27 "What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops."

James 1:5 "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

This is the other facet of receiving revelation from God; just talk to him. Come before the throne of grace in sincerety, and ask for understanding. Ask in faith; believing that He indeed will answer your heartfelt prayer. Fervent prayer and bible study. I know that it sounds so elementary, but we're all too negligent in both. Both are needed to stay in the truth of the gospel. (Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God) As you look out across the doctrinal landscape, it would appear that precious few are seeking the Lord Jesus in a fashion that's untainted by the philosophies and traditions of men. If two folks have differing views concerning a verse of scripture, you can be certain that at least one of them hasn't heard from God.

John 14:26 "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring all things to your rememberance, whatsoever I have said unto you."

True councel. True revelation. This will come as you stay in fellowship with Jesus and follow as close as you can to him. As you seek him with a pure heart continuously, he really will "shew thee great and mighty things." As we come into the time of strong delusions; the likes of which the world has never experienced, we all must be diligent in proclaiming truth. Were in an age when folks don't adhere to sound doctrine, but instead, collect teachers and smooth talkers who go about peddling their latest ten part series on how to be financially prosperous in this life.

This is a little off topic, but I was thinking tonight on how so much of the teaching today focuses on this world; name it and claim it along with the assumption that gain is godliness. The "stuff" becomes the focus. You know what's in a persons heart by the words that they speak.

I John 5:5 "They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them."

When you are born again and watching; when you love the Lord Jesus Christ and long for his appearing, this will be your conversation. If you love the trappings of this life, you'll seek to talk about the accumulation of stuff. Stuff that's all destined to melt with a fervent heat and be no more. In closing, let me just reemphasize the importance of staying diligent about the things that we know to stay diligent about. In this fast paced world of running to and fro, it's easy to let these things slip. To say within ourselves "I really must get to sleep; it'll be alright if I don't get into the bible just this one night. Of course, one night leads to two nights and then two weeks. I'm speaking from experience as the flesh man likes his slumber. He also doesn't like blogging at 3:30 am like I am now. Nonetheless, I really like to blog; to just take that which is on my heart and put it "out there!" One more passage and I'll close for now.

Isaiah 55:6-9 "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.

Hello again. It's now 12:20 PM here in Constantine. I just found this report on Steve Quayles site and it ties in perfectly with this post. It involves the purpose driven "phenomenon" and it shows just how fast this end time senario is coming together right before us. Here's the link.

www.newswithviews.com/BeritKjos/kjos67.htm

Which Built Desolate Places

Psalm 39:5-6 "Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; and mine age is as nothing before thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Surely every man walketh in a vain show: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them."

Ecclesiastes 2:11 "Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun."

Isaiah 41:29 "Behold, they are all vanity; their works are nothing: their molten images are wind and confusion.

We are a generation that's not unlike any other to pass through the valley of decision. We are facinated by the works of our hands. We take pride in our acedemic achievement, pride in our econnomic status, pride in our physical attributes, and we think to ourselves "WOW! LOOK AT ALL OF MY ACHIEVEMENTS!" We compare ourselves to our neighbors continuously, we have award ceremonies so that we can honor our own, we worship the strongest athletes, and we're facinated by the lives of the movers and shakers. We try constantly to "keep up with the Jonses" and we obsess over the accumulation of trappings. The seemingly odd title of this post is taken from Job 3:14. (KJV) Job was a man with incredible wealth in this world and yet didn't allow it to come between himself and God who holds in his hand the very breath of life. His steadfastness in the face of adversity testified to all that he understood the temporality of life on earth. (One thing of note. When Job suffered the loss of all that he had along with his very health, he didn't know that he would ever be restored.) And so it is with each of us who dwell in this present world. Your time in this life can come to an abrupt conclusion when you least expect it. (Eternity is only an aneurysm away) No matter what you accomplish or how much you acumulate in this life, when your final breath has passed, it'll stay right here in the realm of the physical. The more that you accumulate, the more that your relatives will have to squabble over when your days under the sun are completed.

Job 14:1-2 "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not."

Christians get caught up in this same mindset way too often. We suppose to ourselves that gain is godliness, we concentrate on building earthly kingdoms and we get so "busy" that we don't take time to really seek the Lord as we should. To really get our affections on things above. ALL OF US do this to one degree or another. Much teaching today is of a fleshy nature; focusing primarily on being successful in this life while neglecting the weightier matters such as true charity, holiness, evangelism, and keeping your heart with all diligence. Instead of trusting the Lord to add unto the church daily such as should be saved, many compromise their message in order to bring in an increasingly larger crowd. Then they can construct a larger building to more effectively minister to the itching ears of thousands. Desolate Places! Where the word of God has been replaced by the doctrines of men. This is not to say that every church with a congregation of thousands is compromising the gospel. As in all cases, you'll know them by their fruit. If you uphold truth, in sincerety, you may not draw large numbers, but the ones that do come in will be serious about the things of God.

Philippians 3:7-9 "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found of him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith."

The apostle Paul had been, prior to his conversion on the road to Damascus, a pharisee who had status and prestige amongst his contemporaries; a "Hebrew of Hebrews" if you will. When he came to know Jesus Christ, he counted it all as nothing. The more that you have your heart set on the eternal world to come, the less you'll be drawn to the temporal things of this life. This in turn will result in a more fervent stirving to be about the work of the gospel. You'll find yourself increasingly "disconnected" from the insignificant elements of the day as you draw increasingly closer to Jesus Christ who is from everlasting to everlasting. When you really begin to understand just WHO HE IS, you'll have a really difficult time in trying to be excited about the basketball season. Not because basketball, in itself, is a problem; you'll just understand how irrelevant it is in comparison to matters concerning the souls of men. Every day, souls are entering eternity. The decision that one makes concerning Jesus Christ will determine where they will spend that eternity. It is expediant that we be about the work of proclaiming the gospel; to instruct those that oppose themselves that Jesus Christ came into the world to save us from our sins. That he's no respect of persons and is rich unto all that call upon him.

I Corinthians 3:13-15 "Every mans work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is. If any mans work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any mans work shall be burned, he shall sufferloss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire."

IT'S ALL GOING TO BURN! Everything that you see, hear, touch and smell will one day cease to exist. I say this often because I'm not sure that we really grasp it. Since we entered the land of the physical, everything has continued on from the time of our forefathers. Yet none of us have a guarentee that we're going to be here tomorrow. Anything can happen. If you're born again, the thought of being absent from the body and present with the Lord should put a song in your heart. Our foremost striving should be the proclaiming of the good news; that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.

Romans 10:17 "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

Not the wisdom of men, not a ten step program, but the word of God. As I wrap this up, it's my sincere prayer that we all would be about our Fathers business. This posting is of a very elementary nature, but it involves a very serious matter. To watch and pray without ceasing while we lay up treasure in heaven. "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:21)

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

Shadow People

Websters dictionary defines "shadow" with the following definitions. ( 1 ) Partial darkness or obscurity within a part of space from which rays from a source of light are cut off by an interposed opaque body. ( 2 ) A reflected image. ( 3 ) shelter from danger or observation. ( 4a ) an imperfect or faint representation ( 4b ) an imitation of something ( 5 ) The dark figure cast upon a surface by a body intercepting the rays from a source of light. ( 6 ) Phantom ( 7 ) Dark ( 8 ) A shaded or darker portion of a picture. The definitions go on, however, this gives us a really clear picture; one that portrays the nature of those who operate in the world of the "not readily observable" with an agenda that seeks only to destroy.

Ephesians 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

II Thessalonians 2:7-12 "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

This passage of scripture offers a very sobering glimpse into the array of pitfalls that confront the final generation. Jesus described it like this.

Matthew 24:23-24 "Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."

The deceptions of the last days are going to be like those of no other age before us. For one, there will be miraculous happenings that will take place at the bidding of the deceiver. Unlike the true gifts of the Spirit, these signs will seek to shock and awe people into abandoning the faith of Jesus Christ and following a lie. While the gifts of the Spirit are real and very much at work today, following signs alone and using them as the lone guidepost concerning ones standing with God is dangerous. Know this; that the the true gifts of the Spirit will always line up with the bible. We're also told in scripture that we would "know them by their fruits." The world has never seen an array of deception as it's experiencing today. If you think it's bad now, wait until the Restrainer is removed. The "I John Chapter 4" test is a sure way to know where someone is coming from.

II John 7-8 "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward."

Deceptions can be placed into four categories.

( 1 ) Secular delusions. This would include agnosticism, classic atheism, and "science falsly so called" such as evolution, big bang-based astronomy, or any teaching that uses the physical world that is seen, to explain how the physical world came to be. This delusion causes one to feel that we've matured beyond the seemingly silly world of "make believe" as scientific observation is the way in which the secrets of the universe are to be unlocked. There is no acknowledgment of a spiritual realm. Most folks who fall into this category are generally unhappy. (If seventy to one hundred years in this life was all that you had to look forward to, that would be very depressing; especially when you're old and your kids drop you off at a nursing home. Sign me up! lol.)

( 2 ) Paranormal delusions. This would include alien interraction (such folks are no doubt interacting with something, but it's not who they think) past life recollections, anyone possessing psychic abilities such as remote viewers (divination) dowsers, (divination with a crutch) fortune tellers (divination with a bigger crutch) mediums, or anyone claiming to have supernatural gifts apart from God. These occultic practices may or may not be contained in a religious structure. (The devil is an expert at customizing lies to "fit any need" and as of 2006, our culture is thouroughly saturated at every level.)

Deuteronomy 18:10-12 "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee."

( 3 ) Religious Delusions. One of the biggest success stories in all of "delusiondom" is the establishment of Islam. Just a glance at the news on any given day and one will see just how destructive this system is as it's considered honorable to strap a bomb to yourself and blow up innocent civilians in the name of allah. This is NOT the God of the bible, and yet this doctrine dominates the entire middle east. Other examples would be hinduism, buddhism, Taoism, or any "ism" that denies the deity of jesus Christ. Each will have its own telling of who they think Jesus is but will, in every case without exeption, deny his being a part of the Godhead. These sects, often referred to by the media as "the worlds great religions" have two functions. They keep entire regions of the world in bondage to a lie, along with the accompanying traditions, and they cause confusion as many will ask "Which one is right? There are so many beliefs; how can we ever know?" These religions can never set a man free from sin; they only hold one to the trappings of a religious structure and the traditions of men that have passed from one generation to the next.

( 4 ) Pseudo Christian Delusions. This is where the elect of God have to be extremely careful and be ever so sensitive to the Holy Ghost. Jesus told us in Matthew 24:5 that many would come in his name but would be preaching "another Jesus" if you will and would cause many to stumble. Once again, the "I John chapter 4" test is error proof. The Mormons are a good example of this type of delusion. They have a squeaky clean family friendly image that they display for all to see while they teach that Jesus was once a mortal man just like us. Jesus Christ is from everlasting to everlasting; he has no beginning and he has no ending. Every group in this category will deny the deity of Christ without fail. If you dig into their doctrine, you'll find that they preach "another Jesus." There's also the attack on the scriptures as we have more "versions" than one can count. The infalliability of the word of God is imperative. If one part is wrong, it's all suspect. This is a slippery slope and in Revelation 22:18-19, a stern warning is given to those who would seek to "alter" Gods word. Perhaps Joseph Smith should have been reading his bible instead of sticking rocks into his hat and "deciphering" them. (This is another form of "divination.")

Well, this post has really diverted from its original intent which was to discuss the movers and shakers of the new world order. Those individuals in extremely powerful positions who answer to nobody and manipulate events to their liking. And yet it's not totally removed in that religion will be a major factor as the man of sin comes to power. It will be a one world "non-christian religion with supernatural "confirmations" that will cause the whole world to swallow it "hook line and sinker" It will appeal to "common sense" and will cause folks to have a "warm fuzzy feeling" as at last "WE CAN ALL GET ALONG."

As you watch events unfold, the hidden agenda of a global governing entity becomes ever more transparent. The European Union, the United Nations, the North American Union with the border busting NAFTA superhighway soon to link us all together, and the refusal (I mean REFUSAL) to secure the borders as it would impede the globalist agenda. In additon, we have the NSA which is at this very moment starting a second file on me, the "chipping" of people right down the road as RFID technology becomes more widespread, and the cashless society which is at the door. "After all, we must know "who's buying what" in order to stop the terrorists." Every program instituted by the globalists will have a "logical" reason for its being. These people are beyond natural affection and out of sight for the most part. They work in the shadows while the media is busy playing donkeys and elephants. We just had elections in this country but it really makes no difference as to who we "think" is controlling things. These events are prophesied and will come to pass. Incidentally, starting on November 30 and running to December 3, all of the major credit unions and banks are installing all new security software systems that will be tied to the homeland security dept. This was reported on Steve Quayles program last Monday evening. The system continues to manifest despite elections, or public opinion, and with no regards to the constitution or the laws of the land.

I have noticed as has anyone, that cell phones are everywhere. Folks is some instances go into "withdrawl" when they're not in contact with others 24/7. I know of only a two or three people who don't have one. Well, that cell phone can be pinpointed within a few feet, anywhere in the world. If you have it with you, they can find you. Everyone is profiling themselves right here; on the internet, everyone has credit cards, and everyone is busy running faster and faster to keep up with the frenzy of day to day living. The population is prepared for the mark which will seem like simply the logical "next step" in the evolution of better living through science. Unlike any other time in history when it was thought to be "the end" this present course of events is unsustainable in the long term. (Or in the not so long term for that matter.) As we see things coming to pass, the picture is becoming clearer and the man of sin will make his final move.

Thing are wrapping up. FAST! Today is the day to get right with God. If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as savior and Lord, please come to him today.

I John 1-9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Saints of God; please please please get your affections on the world to come. PLEASE stop following afar off. When everything "goes down" the last place that you want to be is afar off; walking along leisurely as though you'll never see trying times. (We're not going to be here syndrome) Jesus is coming at the appointed time and not a second later. The time is now to stablish your heart as truly THE END OF ALL THINGS IS AT HAND!

Things Too Wonderful for Me

Albert Einstein once uttered the statement "The human mind is not capable of grasping the universe. We are like a little child entering a huge library...The child knows that someone must have written those books. It does not know who or how" This is an incredibly profound observation from a man with a predominatly humanistic view of things. While his actual beliefs concerning the spiritual realm may be the subject for endless debate, one thing is for sure. He recognized the vastness of the creation and struggled to make sense of it all. Here's what the apostle Paul told the Athenians.

Acts 17:22-28 "Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars hill and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with mens hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring."

Without a doubt our God is an awesome God! The creation declares that "God Is" as do the scriptures. Have you ever seen the "Hubble Deep Field" image? This image was taken several years ago when the Hubble telescope was aimed at the emptiest portion of sky that could be found and allowed to gather data for a period of days. (I think it was "days") The result of this peering into the emptiest portion of sky revealed millions of galaxies previously undiscovered. They filled the image. This universe; just the visible portion alone, is on a scale of immensity that we cannot even begin to fathom. This physical matter makes up what scientists believe is less than one percent of what is. Dark matter and dark energy are thought to make up the rest. This doesn't even begin to take into account the spiritual realm which exists beyond the directly observable. The more that is known about the universe, the less we understand it. And yet this is nothing in comparison to how big God is who fills the heavens that he created. When you really think about how he inhabits "all of eternity" and yet knows the number of hairs on your head, the only thing that you can say is "WOW!"

Psalm 148:2-5 "Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts. Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light. Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created.

Job 38:31-35 (Read this entire chapter to get the "whole" of it) Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion? Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season? or canst thou guide Arcturus with his sons? Knowest thou the ordinances of heaven? canst thou set the dominion theeof in the earth? Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee? Canst thou send lightenings, that they may go, and say unto thee, Here we are? Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?

God fills every aspect of all that is. From the most remote galaxy down to sub-atomic structures. His ways are truly past finding out. And yet he has made a way for us to know him. That way is through Jesus Christ by whom the worlds were created.

John 1:10-12 "He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:"

In your natural state, you are separated from God. All of us have sinned and none of us deserve to be with God. But because Jesus Christ came into the world, lived a sinless life, and shed his blood on the old rugged cross to pay for our sin, we can have eternal life through him. Because of Jesus death, burial, and resurrection, we have access to the Father through faith. In other words, this AWESOME GOD that inhabits eternity wants to have a personal relationship with you. Such a great salvation is yours for the asking.

There is nothing in this world that can even come close to having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. There is nothing in this life that can offer lasting joy and perfect peace. The peace of God that passes understanding is real. There is power in the blood of the Lamb to forgive sins. That blood is as powerful today as it was two thousand years ago. That precious blood will cleanse you from all sin if you accept Jesus as your Savior.

Gods ways are not our ways. His ways are so far above ours that we could never write their formulas and place them all in a cleverly written text book. But when you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, he will begin to grant you understanding and wisdom. True wisdom that comes from the Holy One of Israel.

Proverbs 9:10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding"

Jeremiah 33:3 "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not."

I have to close in a few moments, but please consider the things here. Read Matthew chapters five through 7. Here, as throughout all of the gospels and all of scripture, you begin to see the nature of God. Jesus is the express image of the Father his ways are awesome. Can you imagine if everyone lived by the principles that Jesus taught? (sinful men are incapable of doing this) There would be peace on earth in a moment. That wont take place until he comes back, but it testifies to just how perfect his ways are. The book of Proverbs tells of the incredible common sense wisdom that God gave to King Solomon. GOD IS BEYOND AWESOME. There really aren't words in our vocabulary to accurately describe how great he is. Let me close with one final verse.

Romans 11:33-36 "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 councellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen"

The Patience of the Saints

Luke 12:51-53 "Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law."

Luke 21:1619 "And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my names sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish. In your patience possess ye your souls."

John 16:33 "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

Let me propose a question that has been asked before but is worth thinking on. "If Jesus was to walk the earth in a body of flesh as he did 2000 years ago, how many churches do you think he would be invited to preach in?" I would contend that the condition of things in this day are very reminiscent of those during the days of his earthly ministry. In the postings of this particular stop in the blogosphere, you will find talk about some things that are "hard on the flesh." I don't talk much about prosperity, or the philosophies of men, and I try to avoid gnat straining over totally insignificant matters. Usually any talk concerning geo-political events is done in relation to their place on the prophetic timeline. I strive to cause any passer by to ponder the things that are coming to pass, to get right with God, and to be aware of the "perilosity" (don't bother looking that up in a dictionary) of the times. Perils from false doctrines, perils from the lust of the flesh, perils from this present world with its ever enlarging arsenal of diversions and perils from falling into a state of spiritual slumber.

I don't want to park here for too long, but the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine has come to fruition as virtually the entire evangelical world has taken it to heart. (I really wasn't planning to go here.) Like all such teachings, it's a "smooth thing" (Isaiah 30:10) Anytime that you try to admonish someone to be prepared for the times ahead, they always resort to the "escape clause." They will usually intervene with "Oh brother, don't you know? We're not going to be here when those things take place. All of those scriptures throughout the bible are for the jews and the carnal christians who didn't name it and claim it very often because they didn't have enough faith." (Yes; I'm being a little sarchastic) Before going on, let me list some scriptures, in case you really want to check it out for yourself. PLEASE with much prayer in sincerety, CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF. Don't take ANYONES word at face value, including mine, as we all see through a glass darkly.

Isaiah 26:20....Daniel 7:21-27....Daniel 8:23-25....Zephaniah 2:3....Matthew 24:22....Matthew 24:29-31.... Mark 13:20....Mark 13:24-27....Luke 21:28....I Corinthians 15:51-52 (at the last trump)....I thessalonians 4:16-17 (at the last trump)....I Peter 3:10 (day of the Lord)....Revelation 12:11....Revelation 14:12....Revelation 15:1-3....Revelation 20:4-6

This concept of going through the tribulation is rough at first. When I first understood it, I asked the Lord in sincerety "If this is true, please let me embrace it and prepare us for the times to come. It was then that I truly started to learn to be "in the world but not of the world." Things that used to get to me just don't get to me anymore as my sights are truly on the world to come. My primary concern here is the salvation of souls; that folks would come to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

For anyone who has ears to undrstand this, we are going to be cast out as evil by friends, family members, co-workers, and anyone who reject the truth. Let me propose a senario, that's not really as far-fetched as it may seem. I recently read an interview with a retired Chinese general. He stated that the Chinese military strategy is very similar to the tactics employed in the martial arts; to attack at the pressure points. Just suppose that the Chinese have drained everything out of this country that they can drain and it's time to move to the next level. A nuclear air burst at the proper location could render every electronic system in this country useless. All of our electronically stored records, banking, personal, etc. GONE. All of our security systems down and our military totally incapacitated. No more internet. No more blogging about the end of the world. (or anything for that matter) Can you even begin to imagine the result of this. Complete economic stoppage; total unpreparedness by the vast majority of citizens and an ensuing societal breakdown that would make the aftermath of katrina look like "spilled milk" in comparison. (This is not to make light of the Katrina tragedy as it resulted in hundreds or even thousands of precious souls going into eternity.) All of this from one detonation and this doesn't take into account the growing list of nations that dislike us or the porous borders that will allow passage of practically anyone who wants to get in for whatever reason they want to get in for. The point is this. Our present situation can dissolve in a matter of seconds. (Get out of the cities)

It will be a chaotic situation of like manner (exactly how it will come to pass, I don't know. We just need to watch and know that every event is significant) that will facillitate the man of sins rise to power. This man will be smooth, cunning, have a pleasent personality, quick with a zinger here or there, and he will "put things back together" again. Peace will be reinstituted and men will, at that point "sell their birthright for a loaf of bread" as they receive his mark. The faith of many will be shipwreck as they had no idea that they would ever face something like this. Read II Thessalonians and Revelation about how the false prophet will perform supernatural signs. There will be events taking place that will not only seem to disprove christianity, but will make it look totally "buffoonable." (Don't look that up in a dictionary either) Anyone maintaining the faith of Jesus Christ will become a laughingstock as a result of the seeming abundance of "tangible proof" to the contrary. The stage for this transpiration is already set with the political correctness mindset, eccumenical teachings, sensitivity training, "UFO" sightings, and what have you. This nation which calls itself "christian" is only a small step away from "wondering after the beast" as is the entire world.

Revelation 13:5-8 "And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."

All who don't know Jesus Christ as their Savior "will" worship this man of sin. Let me state this one thing again. If you can't live for the Lord Jesus Christ now, how are you going to die for him when that will be the cost of not submitting to the antichrist government? This idea that only the carnal, lukewarm christians will be here; that they will suddenly get right with God and endure the strongest delusions that the world has ever seen is erroneous. If you're not close in to the Lord now; if you're following afar off, you're going to be ill-equipped to stand in those days. "Those days" are upon us. I read a report recently stating that in ten years, all British citizens will have a chip implant. It sounds so logical, so safe and secure. So conveinent to have everything, your bank account numbers, medical history, personal profile, security access, (no more fumbling around for keys) everything at your fingertips; LITERALLY. The system is in place; the technology is perfected, the pieces are coming together at a phenominal pace.

I brought up the verses at the beginning for this reason. When this all comes down, those friends, family members, and acquaintances who don't know Jesus will turn on you. When you refuse to accept a mark and cannot buy for your household, you will be made to look like a criminal. In those days we will have to completly rely on God. We will have to have our hearts thoroughly established if we're to not be taken by the events that are coming to pass here.

Again these are not necesarily pleasent things to think on. We know that such events are coming to pass, even though the exact details of how and when remain somewhat unclear. The basics are in place. The situation in the world at this present time simply CANNOT go much longer. Saints of God, you can get by without a new boat. You can survive living in an apartment or even a tent if you had to. But you cannot stand in the hour that we're living in if you follow afar off. You and I absolutly MUST abide in the True Vine and hide the word of God in our hearts. I repeat this often even though you know it because we all need reminding, lest we get too busy with things and become negligent.

Jesus Christ is returning. This is what really matters. We need to look to him continuously. If you look at the storm, you'll sink. FAST. Look to Jesus who has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. We all know people who are lost and we must pray fervently for them and do everything to win them for Christ. To have our conversation on things above and to not be drawn in to frivilous communications. This is an area where I struggle daily but with so many souls hanging in the balance, we must lay such things aside. As I write this morning, I,m talking very much to myself as anyone. We all need to stay focused. Well I'll be going for now. I may be posting a little less often in the times ahead as there are things that need to be tended to. Let me close out with a very familiar passage.

Matthew 7:13-15 "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."

"Iraq"nophobia

Zephaniah 2:15 "This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand."

This verse is making reference to the Assyrian city of Nineveh; that judgment is at hand. As you can see, they had a haughty attitude that took comfort in their physical ability to defend themselves against all that were around them. "I am, and there is none beside me." They adhered to a heart felt feeling of invincibility; an illusion that cannot deliver in the day of trying. Every great empire that has ever risen on the earth experienced a span of time in which the illusion of invincibility encompassed them. The Egyptians seemed unbeatable when the children of israel were in bondage to them. The Babylonian Empire experienced it as did Medeo-Persia, followed by the empire of Alexander. The Romans took empire building to a new level; constructing roads to all points of the empire to grant easy access to the far-flung provinces and establishing a western-style of governance that is a model to this day. To view the Roman Empire at the peak of their power one could ask "who can make war with them?" They were the lone superpower of their time and were never defeated by a larger empire. Their demise came in the form of hundreds of little invasions as barbarous tribes poured across their borders. This was further complicated by an increasingly shallow mindset on the part of their citizens, for whom pleasure became their foremost ambition. Eat, drink, and be merry. (Or sex, drugs, and rock and roll.) The Romans, along with all of these past empires eventually came to pass. Despite each one having a space of time in which they seemed "unbeatable," all of them were eventually brought down.

Daniel 2:20-22 "Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding. He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him."

Psalm 113:4 "The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens." Something to think on. You look into the universe and see the billions upon billions of galaxies; each containing an average of a hundred billion stars. Gods glory, which has no beginning and no ending is above all of it. Our God truly is an AWESOME GOD.

I write this because the United States; at least those that you talk to seem to believe that we're simply "too big and powerful" to fall. For those who live in this country, the idea of America being brought down is simply "negative communications from the doom and gloomers" or else it's "conspiracy talk from the black helicopter crowd." This illusion goes on, even with the evidence of a nation in decline all around us. Outsourcing has reached every industry, effecting both white collar and blue collar workers , our borders are incredibally porous which means that we really have no idea of who'se here or what they're up to, our middle class is under assault from every angle, the nations of the world are becoming increasingly hostile toward us, and we have a host of of emerging threats, too numerous to mention, that could trigger an economic disaster." Here's a thought. Suppose that a nuclear air burst brought down our entire array of electronic systems. This country would come to a complete standstill and pandemonium would become the order of the day. With the proliferation of nuclear capabilities, this isn't necessarily just a senario for a Tom Clancy novel. (Truly we have no continuing city here)

In 2003, the United States sent forces into Iraq, most believing that it was simply another theater in the global "war on Terror" Most expected a nearly effortless victory as our troops rolled into Baghdad with the cheers of jubilant citizens "grateful for liberation" ringing in their ears. As President Bush stood on an aircraft carrier and declared an end to major combat operations, it seemed as though things were really "going our way." Most expected Iraq to transition quickly into a western-style democracy. Today, we are mired along the banks of the Euphrates in a situation that almost none of us could have imagined just three and a half years ago, that being a civil war with no end in sight. To further add fuel to the fire, a host of other nations have their hands in the cookie jar as they desire to thwart the efforts of the United States in pursuit of their own agenda. And so we find ourselves in a nonwinning situation. If we keep our troops there, our casualties will continue to mount. If we pull them out, who knows what would happen as there would be no resemblance of a stablizing force in this volatle region of the world.

We are quickly approaching the end of the age and every event that transpires, regardless of how insignificant, is, taking place in accordance with this very fact. This places increased relevance on this war in Iraq; a situation which, as mentioned in earlier posts, has the eagle nation of Daniel chapter seven bogged down along the banks of the Euphrates. The real tragedy is that thousands of people are losing their lives as this conflict rages on with no end in sight. Souls for whom Jesus gave his life are going into eternity, never to pass this way again. Along with those who are being lost, there's a growing list of those suffering life altering injuries; physical and mental. I remember one morning hearing a lady tell about her husband who was in the national guard. He was an engineer for a foreign auto manufacturer with plants in the US. They flew him from plant to plant as he could remedy problems that nobody else could solve. While on duty in Iraq, the vehicle that he was riding in ran into a crater left by an ordinance and he suffered severe head trauma. This man now has to struggle to fold laundry. He's giving his all to recover as much as he can, but his life has been forever altered by a conflict that, each day, adds more names to its register of victims.

Last nights posting on Grace County (www.timbob.wordpress.com) is entitled "Priceless Souls" Every soul is an eternal being in that they will live forever. If a soul goes into eternity without Jesus, they will spend eternity separated from the God who created all that is. Like so many others in previous eras, we, as a nation, tend to take action without considering this. When civilian lives are lost, we call it "collateral damage." In the eyes of God, nobody is collateral damage. Each one is made in his image. We get so caught up with vain philosophies and the pursuit of vain glory that we lose sight of this very basic thing. This doesn't mean to lay down and let your enemies run over you; it just means that motives and consequences need to be thouroughly examined prior to engagement. In the case of Iraq, there was already a desire to depose Saddam (Saddam was a murderous dictator by the way; this must be completly understood) and when the attacks of September 11, 2001 transpired, a "window of opportunity" was made available to fulfil this desire. Today, in November of 2006, Iraqs future is very much "up in the air" and the shift in political power in Washington will almost certainly lead to a timetable of withdrawl. In other words, those who are lined up against us need only to lay low for a few months longer. Again, the situation in Iraq really has no "good answer" to it. My prayer is that individual transformations will take place as the gospel is presented. Jesus Christ alone is able to transform a person into a new creation.

Well I need to close for now. Things are turmultuous; not only in Iraq but all across the world. It simply means that scripture is being fulfilled and you can expect things to get a whole lot more turbulant in the days to come. Do I say that because I like to talk about depressing things? Not at all. I mention it because it's true and I pray that you'll be alert to what's coming. That you'll examine yourself and see where you are in your relationship with Jesus. When it's all said and done, this will be the ONLY thing that matters. If you don't know him, there's no time like the present to come to him; to invite him into your heart and ask forgiveness for your sins. All of us have sinned; don't let the devil tell you that you're beyond hope. If you're reading this (and you obviously are) you are not beyond hope. I will close this out with some verses concerning this very fact.

I John 1:7-9 "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

John 6:37 "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."

I Timothy 1:15 "This is a faithful saying worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief."

Revelation 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me."

Sticks and Stones and Dead Mens Bones

Matthew 23:3-5 "All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be bourne, and lay them on mens shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments."

Matthew 23:27 "Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead mens bones, and of all unrighteousness."

The pitfalls of these final moments of the age are numerous to be sure, however, one of the most dangerous of all is the false teacher. A false teacher will make you feel like everythings alright when everything is definatly NOT alright. They say all of the right phrases, they cry when they're supposed to cry, and they repeatedly tell of their desire to simply reach the lost. They will most likely have a never ending parade of teaching series that can be obtained for a "love gift" of X number of dollars. They will appeal to the flesh; talking much of success in this life and how you can be blessed with an abundance of material goods. They will use particular scriptures which refer to material blessings while ignoring the ones concerning holiness and those which focus on the world to come. They will repeatedly explain how "LOVE" of money is the root of all evil but not the money; right before they begin talking about prosperity. As mentioned on so many occasions, prosperity itself is not the problem; obsessing about it is. When it becomes the dominant theme in a preachers message, there's without a doubt, an attachment (love) for the things of this life. These folks sell books, CDs and DVDs by the millions. This present world is continuously emphasized while the one to come is placed on the back burner with a "we'll cross that bridge when we come to it" mentality coupled with a chorus of "we're not going to be here in the tribulation."

They love this world. They talk about this world because that's where their heart is. (You can't hide what's inside.) They appear righteous, but they focus on carnal things in their teaching and conversation. With so many teachers and preachers out their and a church on every corner, you really have to abide by Hebrews 5:14 and stay grounded in the word of God. Stay as close to the Lord as you can and "learn of him." Then, you'll have discernment when someone comes along with a gospel which is "not another" but is altered just enough to lead the simple into many hurtful lusts. When you obsess over the acquisition of things and success in the physical realm you "pierce yourself through with many sorrows." (I Timothy 6:10) These next verses should make your hair stand as they tell of false teachers.

II Corinthians 11:13-15 "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."

Understand this: the devil knows how to "PUT ON A SHOW!" Know also that he will always pander to the desires of the flesh. (Genesis 3:6)

Acts 20:29-31 "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears."

One could do an entire series of posts on that passage of scripture. If you ever wondered why Paul was betwixt, the answer is here. He knew ( not suspected; KNEW) that after he departed, false teachers with an alternate agenda would seek whom they could draw away from the truth. One more set of verses before I conclude this post.

II Peter 2:1-3 "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be even spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not."

Some points to bring out here are as follows:

1: They come in privily; they'll sneak in undetected.

2: They will deny the Lord Jesus. I John chapter 4 covers this in detail

3: Many will "buy" into their teaching and will speak evil of the truth.

4: They will appeal to the flesh; through covetousness.

One final note. As the age concludes and the "big inclusive tent" of the one world religion manifests before our eyes, those who truly love the Lord Jesus Christ and long to serve him are going to be ridiculed. The false religion will make "perfectly good sense" in the physical realm as once again, the devil knows how to put on a show and appeal to the flesh. Those who live a holy life and don't subscribe to the views of this world religion are going to be ridiculed as being narrow-minded and lacking in love for their neighbors. (Their name will be "cast out as evil.) I really sense an urgency on this; we are going to be made a laughingstock to the point that if you're not firmly rooted in the truth, you'll never stand. There will be false signs and lying wonders that will seem to verify those teachings which are false as the tribulation unfolds. I really believe that there will be "developments" in the world, be it an illusion of alien contact, pyramids on Mars, or what have you, that will seem to disprove christianity. I cannot put into words just how deceptive these times will be; times that are right at the door. The population is already prepared to receive such illusions. In the previous post, there was mention of how dangerous it is to follow a person or a ministry to the point that it comes between you and the Lord jesus. Each one of us MUST search the scriptures daily and pray without ceasing. I sound like a broken record, but this cannot be emphasized enough. I must go for now but please take these things to heart.

"Title" Waves

Matthew 23:5-7 "But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi."

John 5:43-44 "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seeketh not the honour that cometh from God only?"

Some titles serve the function of announcing the trade or office of an individual such as "Doctor O Brian, Governor Granholm, Sergeant Shultz, or Pastor Jones. These titles serve only to inform the hearer of that this person is either a practitioner of a particular skill or that they occupy a particular office. They are, for the most part, neutral; providing they don't invoke pride on the part of those bearing them. We call President Bush "President Bush" because that's his official capacity. Unfortunatly, however, we tend to have a facination with titles in that many of us like to take them on for the sake of putting on a show, or we like to follow someone who has taken upon themselves a particular title. You've heard the phrase "I'm going to make a name for myself." As a result, people obsess to be noticed for the single purpose of receiving honor from their peers. Rappers will continuously try to outdo each other by coming up with increasingly cooler sounding, purposely misspelled names in an attempt to stand out from the other cool sounding misspelled names. Every famous performer has a stage name that's designed to project an image for that individual. In short we love to give ourselves names and we love to be associated with folks who have a favorable identity.

This is, in reality, a form of idolatry; worshipping the creature and giving no place to the creator. A t- shirt featuring a particular band is designed primarily to identify with the image of that band or to tell the world that you attended their concert. (Otherwise, you wouldn't have wasted $40 on it when you can purchase a "Fruit of the Loom" for only $5.) When you go into the plant where I'm employed, you'll find that a large number of the employees are wearing Harley Davidson attire. (Nothing wrong with harley Davidson; I'm only using this example to make a point) They are telling the world that they really like Harleys. About three years ago, a guy at work asked me "when are you going to get your Harley?" I sarchastically replied "I don't know; maybe after everyone else sells theirs." In short we like to identify with physical entities and as a result, a person will spend $200 on a Red Wings jersey because it's an "official" jersey.

Christians have the very same problem; although many would never admit to it. It's a problem that goes all the way back to the first days of the church and was addresed by the apostle Paul

I Corinthians 3:3-7 "For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife,and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase."

Today, this problem is rampant. Folks are quick to broadcast their title. Sometimes we will do so simply to let someone know of our stand concerning doctrinal issues. Other times, it becomes a source of pride. Folks will loudly proclaim "I'm a baptist" or "I'm UPC" or "I'm Church of God" I really believe that in most cases, this comes from an attitude of pride in a title; a fault that I have been guilty of in times past, when fellowshipping with particular churches. (spiritual pride is unbelievably destructive) In additon, we will tend to identify with a particular ministry instead of striving to identify with Christ. Partnering with a ministry for the purpose of forwarding the gospel is commendable, so long as they are grounded in truth. There's a real danger, however, if that particular ministry takes the place of Christ.

Let me address a pitfall here before continuing. This is not to suggest that you embrace every form of doctrine with a "can't we all just get along" attitude. There are scores of hereies and blatant false doctrines which "appear christian" but are not to be associated with. Today we have a move of "eccumenicalism" that's seeking to unite everyone under a "big tent." It sounds nice; it sounds so inclusive, so warm and fuzzy. In truth, it's laying the groundwork for the one world religious system that will embrace the man of sin. It'll seem like such a wonderful, understanding, tender hearted religion, while the remnant will be looked upon as "cold hearted, narrow minded, and backward." You can be sure that the ministers of this false religious system will be very skilled in misusing the scriptures and the simple will go on into perdition. I'm venturing into a future post here, but this is coming to pass at this very moment. This is why the following things are stressed so adamantly.

PRAY WITHOUT CEASING.

STAY IN THE WORD OF GOD.

TRY THE SPIRITS; TO SEE IF THEY BE OF GOD.

EXAMINE YOURSELF CONTINUOUSLY.

DO NOT FOLLOW A MAN OR A DENOMINATION

FOLLOW THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND BE SENSITIVE TO THE HOLY GHOST.

WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION.

LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT AND SIN.

SET YOUR AFFECTIONS ON THINGS ABOVE.

KEEP THY HEART WITH ALL DILIGENCE.

II Timothy 4:2-5 "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; b ut after their their own lusts shall heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned to fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy inistry.

One cannot adequatly stress how perilous these times are. I know that I've swerved into a second theme here, but it's important; EXTREMELY important to be sure that you're following Jesus Christ and not a title or a preacher. A preacher can fall. Titles will have no standing in eternity. On the last day, you're not going to be asked about your title. The only thing that will matter will be "is your name written in the book of life?" When all of the theatrics and debating are past; when the last sermon has been preached and the final seconds of time are history, the only thing that will matter will be this one thing. IS YOUR NAME RECORDED IN THE BOOK OF LIFE?

Search your heart and establish your heart. Be assured that no flesh will glory in the presence of God. Silly pride and vain glory are deadly as a viper. This post may be enhanced later, but for now I'll close out with this.

II Corinthians 5:16-17 "Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh; yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; hehold, all things are made new."

Revelation 5:2-5 "And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof."

The Last Vestiges of the Republic

Daniel 7:23-26 "Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end."

This passage of scripture tells us of the one world government that "will" be in place at the end of the age. The major events that you see developing are all contributing factors to facilitate the establishment of this "global empire." In a few hours, Americans will begin to participate in the mid-term elections. As is the case with every election cycle, there's been much speculation over who will be victorious and who will be defeated. Control of congress is considered to be up for grabs; a belief which has added intensity and nastiness to many of the contests. Power does strange things to people; regardless of the letter in parenthesis that follows their name. Another source of possible contention is "electronic voting" a process by which your vote is recorded on a chip and there's no written backup. If the voting machines should "crash," or be compromised by someone whose intent on altering the elections outcome, the actual count would be "somewhere in the Dieboldesphere." There's unparalleled potential for fraud, accusations of fraud, law suits, and demands for a "recount" without so much as a hanging chad to consider. If the machine indicates that Suzy Q received 10,000 votes and Guy Smiley received 9,999, then Suzy Q wins. It may well be that Guy Smiley received more votes, however, there's no way of finding them. No recount; nothing to verify the results. This will sound bizarre, but the best thing that could happen in this election cycle would be to have a total fiasco. To have such a complete meltdown of the election process that electronic voting would be given a permanent residence in the museum of bad ideas.

As I write this, I don't know what will transpire when all of the dust has settled. I think that the elections will be relatively uneventful. There will be accusations of fraud in various sectors, but they will go unreported, unverified, and therefore will never leave the arena of speculation. I expect that the electronic voting machines will "perform" well enough that their use will be expanded in 2008, if an election takes place in that year. (The end really is here) This non-traceable form of ballot casting; will ensure that from henceforth, only the "right people" will be elected. I think that for now, the republicans will retain a majority in both houses, however, it has virtually no impact on the present reality; that being the fulfillment of scripture. We are heading, step by methodical step, into a global government. According to scripture; a source with an accuracy rating of 100%, the whole world will "wonder after the beast." This will come to pass regardless of who emerges victorious from the 2006 elections as the system is already in place. You're interacting with a large piece of it at this very moment; that being the internet that Al Gore invented. It's the primary method for transferring currency all across the globe and you can be certain that every keystroke that you have ever made online is recorded somewhere. I'm certain that I have a file at NSA based simply on some of the "key words" that are repeated often in my posts. Without a doubt, they're making a list. They know who will comply with the "New World Order" and who will cause problems. Without a doubt, all of us have been profiled.

Recently, during a news broadcast, I saw a commercial that exemplified the ongoing conditoning of the population toward the idea of a "chip." It showed a very crowded cafeteria at lunchtime. Everyone was moving very quickly; getting their lunch, going to the cashier, swiping their credit card without stopping, and then heading back to wherever. Eventually, a guy comes up to the cashier and tries to pay with cash. This causes everyone else to stop suddenly and food goes flying in every direction; thanks to this "old fashioned dingaling." Already, our culture is well adapted to making transactions in the electronic realm in the form of credit. We are moving steadily into a cashless society and eventually, a "chipped society."

Here's something that I expect to happen as the final deception unfolds; although it's not by direct revelation. (It's a pondering) As you know, the garden of Eden, the serpent told Eve "Ye shall not surely die." He told the exact opposite of what was true. And as you know, Eve saw the tree; that the fruit was good and being wise seemed good also, she took of the fruit and ate. She also gave to Adam, who was with her and knew what was happening. (There are so many lessons in this account.) I expect a similar situation to transpire when the mark of the beast is instituted. The false prophet will say "this isn't the mark of the beast. This is a national security device. After all; either you're with us or you're with the terrorists" Folks will believe it as they will "need to provide for their families." In addition, it'll appear to be a logical way of ensuring ensuring safety as nobody will have to worry about their identity being stolen. If one of the kids comes up missing, why there's a big screen in a global monitoring center with a dot on it; telling the world where he is. Furthermore, I wonder how many of those who are waiting for a pre-tribulation rapture will fall for this deception. I can hear the arguement. "Well, this can't be the mark of the beast because that takes place in the tribulation and everybody knows that we're not going to be here in the tribulation." The teaching of a pre-tribulation rapture seems to become more dangerous by the day as it's embraced by almost everyone. This teaching, combined with a love for the trappings of this life and a general lukewarmness toward Christ makes for a spiritual "molotov cocktail."

Isaiah 26:20 "Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast."

We are at the end of the age. All of the events that you hear about are leading to the battle of Armageddon. Jesus Christ is coming and every eye shall behold him. Are you ready for that moment? Will you be among the elect gathered from the four corners of the earth or will you say to the mountains and rocks "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" Tragically, few are watching, even within the ranks of professing christians, and most will be taken totally by surprise when things fall apart in the physical world. Jesus warned us to eatch always, and yet most of us are overcharged with a world that's soon to be no more. I have to go fo now, but I'll put in some links that deal with some of the events of the day; primarily dealing with the new world order and related topics. Please use discernment as not everything on all of these links is 100% accurate. Nonetheless, there is much to ponder.

www.educate-yourself.org/nwo/

www.infowars.com

www.policestate21.com

www.blackboxvoting.org

www.spychips.com

www.endtime.com