SO CALLED CHRISTIAN PUBLISHING COMPANIES

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Zondervan Publishing has just released a new study Bible, The Upside-Down Kingdom Bible, with notes, essays, and book introductions that, according to the Amazon listing, feature “a diverse set of trusted Christian voices and explores difficult issues facing Christians today, with features that are honest, nuanced, and filled with grace.”

Should Christians use this study Bible?

Rather than showing how God’s Word is unique, giving us a set of glasses through which to view the world that is “upside down” to the world’s way of thinking, the writers take the world’s lenses of feminism, Marxism, evolution, and CRT and read the Bible through them.

Many of the notes I read were sprinkled with references to man-made climate change, terms like “forced migration experiences” and “systemic injustice.” From what I saw, these terms weren’t really defined, but all such terms are routinely used by “woke” and progressive Christians the same way the world uses them, so I think it’s safe to assume that the world’s definition is how they’re likewise being used here.

Also, this study Bible is supposed to be “nuanced,” and it certainly is. It’s so “squishy” on most controversial topics (but not certain “woke” ones—on some of those, the authors took obvious positions) that the notes lose any authority, turning into, “some people say this, and some people say that, but we can’t really know.” But in many cases, we can really know. For example, in Genesis, we can know how and when God created! We know He created male and female and established marriage and family as the basis of society. Homosexuality and transgenderism are abominations to Him.

Hence, this Upside Down Kingdom Bible from what was once a trusted Christian publishing company is just another end-times sign. The fact that Zondervan was acquired by Harper and Row, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch, may explain their departure from believing the Bible is inerrant.

TRUMP’S INAUGURATION SPEECH

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You need to watch and listen to Graham’s prayer and Trump’s speech. I was pleasantly surprised that most of his policies align with Scripture. For one, the law will acknowledge that there are only two sexes, male and female. The LGBTQ agenda in educational institutions will be eradicated. God will not be forgotten and be put back into His rightful place. “IN GOD, WE TRUST” on the USA banknotes will be meaningful again. The World has indeed just changed for the better.

The walls of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) that were built throughout the Biden administration appear to be crumbling right before our eyes. In recent days, numerous companies and institutions have been forgoing their DEI programs and offices. Shortly after taking office, West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey (R) used his new position to end all state-funded DEI programs. And now, in a decision opponents of DEI have long waited for, the FBI has officially announced that they closed their DEI office.

Trump’s reaction: Why is it that they’re closing one day before the Inauguration of a new Administration? Is the reason CORRUPTION!”

CHRISTIANS CONTINUE TO FACE PERSECUTION YET THE CHURCH CONTINUES TO GROW

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According to the latest report, 380 million Christians — one in seven worldwide — face high levels of persecution and discrimination.

As the organization has done for over 20 years, Open Doors US ranked North Korea No. 1 on its World Watch List. “North Korea continues to be a place that is incredibly difficult for Christians,” Brown stated. “Reports of violence have continued to escalate within North Korea, and it is expansive throughout the State.” Christians in North Korea could face execution or imprisonment in a labour camp if their faith is discovered, Open Doors warns. Despite the targeted oppression, however, the latest World Watch List reported that around 400,000 believers in North Korea are continuing to bear witness to the love of Christ. 

A North Korean Christian, Jung Jik (name changed for security reasons), who escaped imprisonment twice, is praying to see his child again and share Jesus with him, showcasing the determination persecuted believers have to keep God’s Word alive amid surges in anti-Christian violence across the globe. As Jung attested in the report, a large underground Church still survives in North Korea. “There’s still a large underground church. Because you pray, many people are miraculously healed, and they experience God’s power. They come to faith.”

Brown said Christians like Jung, who refuse to forsake Christ, are a model for Christ-followers in Western countries with the right to religious freedom. Throughout Christianity’s history, Brown stressed that the Church has continued to thrive, even when persecution is extreme. 

“There are places where the Church is, by all accounts, the life is being squeezed from it,” Brown said, citing the North African country of Algeria, which ranked 19th on the 2025 World Watch List, as an example. Per the report, “all Protestant churches [in Algeria] have been forced to close, and the number of Christians awaiting trial and sentencing is at an all-time high.” 

Other countries that have forced the Church underground include Afghanistan, which ranked No. 10 on the list. Due to the Taliban enforcing strict interpretations of Islamic law, converting from Islam to Christianity is punishable by death. Christians also face punishment or fear being murdered at the hands of their family, clan or tribe if they renounce Islam. 

“There are places where the Church is being forced deeply underground, and any visible expression of that presence is very difficult to observe,” Brown said. “But there are places where, in the midst of persecution, the Church continues to operate, the Church continues to minister.”

The latest report also found increased violence scores in 15 sub-Saharan countries since the 2023 World Watch List. The 2025 report noted that the sub-Saharan Africa region is the most violent due to Islamic extremist groups taking advantage of government instability. 

“Persecution is rising in countries such as Burkina Faso (20), Mali (14) and Chad (49), which enters the top 50 for the first time,” the report found. 

Christians in Yemen (3), Sudan (5) and Myanmar (13) are easy targets for persecution as anarchy and internal conflict within these regions grows, according to Open Doors. 

Nigeria, which ranked seventh on the list, stands out from many of the sub-Saharan countries, as there wasn’t much room for conditions in the region to worsen from previous years.

Christians in northern Nigeria are targeted by Fulani militants, Boko Haram and other extremist groups who murder or abduct people of faith. Thousands of Nigerian Christians have been killed in recent years. According to a summary of the 2025 report’s trends, “the measure of anti-Christian violence in the country is already at the maximum possible under World Watch List methodology.” 

Fortunately, we know from Biblical prophecy that Christian persecution escalates in the time before Jesus returns to restore righteousness and usher in His Millennial Kingdom. This Earth still has 1000 years before it is destroyed. The nation God raised up for His purposes, Israel, must fulfill its destiny, and it will with Jesus reigning the nations of the world with the raised, glorified Saints. They rule with a rod of iron, indicating that the curse has not been lifted. People are still being born and are dying. They still need to accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Satan and his minions are bound for most of the thousand years but are released at the end, and he still raises an army of people like the sand of the sea to come against Jesus and the Saints. This says a lot about people who are given free will to choose. Sadly, like Satan and one-third of the angels, many want to be god and choose to rebel against God and His commandments.

THE PRINCIPALITIES THAT AMERICA NOW WORSHIP

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The principalities that America now worship are Baal, Molech, and Ashtorah. The Dark Trinity works together to destroy America. This is a continuation of the message that Jonathan delivered in his book The Paradigm.

The Biblical templates of what is playing out in America are incredible, and they demonstrate that God is in control of all events in His Cosmos, including using President Trump for His purposes.

PROPHESIED END TIMES EVENTS ESCALATING

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Over the past 20 years, beginning with Hurricane Katrina, the United States has seen its 10 most costly natural disasters. Hurricane Helene could top them all at an estimated $200–$250 billion in damages. The fires currently ravaging California might add to this grim record, with total costs yet unknown. That doesn’t count the irreplaceable loss of human life. Take a look at Ray Comfort’s video below on what could put these fires out.

Much of the crisis in Los Angeles stems from poor policy decisions, including environmental regulations that diverted 95% of crucial rainwater to the ocean instead of reservoirs. The Los Angeles Fire Department’s (LAFD) Strategic Plan for 2023-2026, “enhance[ing] community resilience, disaster recovery capabilities, and environmental sustainability”, ranked seventh out of seven priorities — dead last. Much higher on the list was promoting a “progressive work environment” (second) and committing to “embrace[] diversity, equity, and inclusion” (third). These priorities reflect the goal of LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley, touted as “the first female and LGBTQ Fire Chief in the LAFD.”

Turning away from God and His values results in chaos and, eventually, God’s judgement. When truth is rejected, justice suffers, and the consequences, though not always immediate, can be devastating.

Jesus actually warned of days like these. In Luke 21, when His disciples asked about the signs of the end times, He said, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences… and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.” He then cautioned that believers would face persecution and be brought before leaders for His name’s sake, calling it an opportunity to bear witness.

So, how do we prepare for these unsettling times? Jesus offers a clear answer later in Luke 21, verse 36: “But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things… and to stand before the Son of Man.”

By escaping, He does not mean running away, but standing firm, with confidence and compassion because you’re watching and praying, not hiding and complaining. Hard times can also become times of opportunity. When we remain alert and prayerful, we can respond in faith and compassion instead of fear. For those who are prepared, adversity can forge strength and testimony. Instead of giving in to panic, we are to rely on prayer, leaning on the eternal God, creator and sustainer of all things.

A PHENOMENAL SURGE OF FAITH ON THE FIELD

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The American college football season culminates next Monday night in Atlanta. It has seen a pervasive expression of faith in the Bible and God’s love and provision for the teams and players, win or lose.

It’s hard not to notice the extent of this phenomenon, coming as it does from so many of the most prominent members of the squads, especially the quarterbacks — and the coaches as well. Take Quinn Ewers of Texas. After his Longhorns lost a hard-fought battle against the Ohio State Buckeyes, now the top-rated team still standing, Ewers told the media, “What other people think of me won’t get me anywhere. … God has made me who I am, and that’s the reality of my whole situation. … I fully opened my heart to what Jesus and God were telling me instead of relying on my own understanding — but I just wanted to fully give myself to Him and fully allow His will to be done in my life.”

Ewers’s remarks were swiftly echoed by Longhorn wide receiver Jahdae Barron, who held up his hand to stall the adjournment of the postgame presser. “I just want to say one thing,” Barron said. “I just want everybody to know, you … sometimes don’t come out on top. … We won. We truly know who our leader is, and that’s God and Jesus Christ. And ultimately, just having the ability to use the gift that He gave us, to share to the world, it’s been amazing.” Barron went on to put the game in perspective and asked for thoughts for people dealing with the fires in California and the “chaos” in New Orleans where a terrorist attack took at least 14 lives and postponed the other semifinal bowl game.

That this would be a unique year in the recent annals of sport might have best been signaled by last August’s revival by Texas’s victorious opponent in the Cotton Bowl, Ohio State. The mammoth midwestern Big Ten school is not known for religious expression connected to its athletic programs, but then again, neither are those of most major colleges outside of denominational schools. Either way, the events at Ohio State were extraordinary and drew attention in the secular media. Led by a former football team captain, wide receiver Kamryn Babb, and a group of area churches, a gathering on the weekend before the season led to the baptism of 60 or more people, including prominent members of the football team like TreVeyon Henderson, J.T. Tuimoloau, and Emeka Egbuka. They and others gave their testimonies in front of a crowd estimated at 2,000 or more.

Babb commented on the event, “This encouragement that I’ll give the world is, and that we gave students on campus and from young to old is, to repent of your sins and believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ, because it is the power to save men and women. He says that He gives those who believe in His name and believe in what He did on the cross the right to be children of God. To be able to give an invitation to so many hurting souls and so many people who are looking for hope and love is a blessing. It’s encouraging to be able to say you need to look nowhere other than God.

Buckeye head coach Ryan Day was moved to say, “But I think when you start to see and hear some of the messages that some of our team is giving, not only out in the community but to our own team on campus, those type of things, you just recognise what unbelievable guys we have in our locker room.”

Something deeper, however, is afoot, and it is more than the recent — and ongoing tragedies in America that seem to be inspiring it. The ESPN network endured some criticism after the Sugar Bowl game between Notre Dame and Penn State for not airing the national anthem and moment of silence before that event to remember the victims of the horrendous terrorist attack in the French Quarter. On the next night during the Cotton Bowl, ESPN made sure to stay onscreen as the crowd and national audience observed not only a moment of silence but heard a prayer offered by Fred McClure, the former head of the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association. McClure said:

“Loving father, we seek your blessings today for all those gathered here and especially for those on the field as we come together to celebrate the 89th Cotton Bowl Classic, we lift up the young men representing the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Texas Longhorns. Keep them safe from injury and harm. Instill within them a deep respect for one another and reward them for their perseverance.”

The prominence of prayer, meanwhile, has been newly obvious at Notre Dame as well, where the football program has approached but not reached the heights of a national championship since the 1988-89 season under Lou Holtz. The return has occurred on the watch of Marcus Freeman, who played linebacker at Ohio State and took over the Irish three years ago. The transformation occurred on the field as Freeman has amassed the most-ever wins for a Notre Dame head coach in his first three years at the school.

Off the field, Freeman restored the team’s pregame practice of attending Mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on campus and marching across the main quad to Notre Dame stadium. Irish quarterback Riley Leonard reportedly leads a Bible study every Thursday night for fellow players. Attendance has grown. After the Sugar Bowl, Leonard answered a reporter’s question saying, “First of all, I just want to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; without Him, I wouldn’t be here, we wouldn’t be here, that’s the whole group.”

Whatever happens next Monday night, an amazing story of faith and conviction has occurred across the spectrum of college football in 2024-25. Pinpointing a beginning to this season of spiritual revival is impossible and hardly necessary, but one event does suggest itself to anyone who witnessed the occasion in person or on national television: the near-fatal injury to Buffalo Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin during Monday Night Football in January 2023. Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest after a tackle. Fans of football on any level see many injuries, but this one was different from the start. The game, the players, the crowd, and the national audience came to a halt as every available resource was poured into saving Hamlin’s life on the field and then at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.

We know the outcome now and Hamlin astonishingly has returned to the field of play. We know as well how the broadcasters for that game reacted to the drama playing out before them. For a time, our nation has gone through round after round of cynicism about our dependence on Almighty God for our lives and our every blessing. Prayer, much less public expressions of faith, have been downgraded, dismissed, and distrusted. The phrase “offering thoughts and prayers” then in common use has been subjected to ridicule. But on that frozen night on the Ohio River shoreline, the broadcast hosts at ESPN bowed their heads in fervent prayer for Hamlin. Where else could they and we turn?

Today, Hamlin devotes himself both to the Buffalo Bills and to charity work on behalf of youth sports, health, and safety. His story is known worldwide. Football remains the most dangerous sport from which players and their families can reap great rewards but also assume enormous risks. And all of it to win a crown of temporal fame that will be the prize of one team and one group of players, while the rest strive to the same goal in full knowledge that the trophy will belong to others. But in prayer, we can see it as so many of these collegiate champions do. Faith bids us to know that the true trophy is available to us all in chariots of fire that will carry us through our strivings toward a victory no one can take away.

A SUMMARY OF PROPHESIED EVENTS OF THE END TIMES

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Jonathan’s video is a powerful and informative message on the Book of Revelation. It summarizes the key end-time events that will unfold in our day. Make sure you get this message out as widely as you are able.

Jonathan gives sixteen signs from Revelation that prove the Bible is God’s Word and He is in control of world events. It is a great end-times guide.

FAMILY BURNED ALIVE FOR FOLLOWING CHRIST

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NAIROBI, Kenya — A Muslim couple and their adult son who received Christ in November were burned to death on Dec. 26 in eastern Uganda, sources said.

In the Budini Nyanza area of Kaliro town, Kaliro District, 64-year-old Kaiga Muhammad, his wife, Sawuya Kaiga, and their son, Swagga Amuza Kaiga, 26, put their faith in Christ on Nov. 22, 2024, when members of an undisclosed church visited their home and shared the Gospel.

The pastor of the church, undisclosed for security reasons, said that after the three family members received Christ’s salvation, they requested prayer for Swagga Amuza Kaiga, who was suffering from malaria. “We prayed for the son, and immediately he was restored to good health,” the pastor claimed in an interview with Morning Star News. “The three members of the family who gave their lives to Christ decided to keep their faith secret for fear of Muslims of the area, since Muhammad himself was a committee member in one of the mosques in Budini Nyanza zone.”

On Dec. 15, area Muslims noted Muhammad leaving the church’s worship service in a nearby village and informed area chairperson Wangule Abudu. The chairperson on Dec. 16 went to Muhammad’s home to question him, and Muhammad openly told him that he and other family members had given their lives to Christ, the pastor said.

The angry Abudu gave Muhammad one week to renounce Christianity, saying that if he refused, he would mobilize the Muslim community against the family, according to a relative who was away when the parents and son accepted Christ.

“Abudu said that our family had blasphemed the name of Allah and embarrassed the Muslim community,” the family member, whose name is withheld for security reasons, told Morning Star News.

Area Muslims on Dec. 26 set the family’s house ablaze with gas and burned the three members of the family beyond recognition, said a neighbor who had arrived with others too late to save them and the structure.

Kaliro police arrived after the lives had been lost and, after investigating, arrested Wangule Abudu, 62, and Ismail Njagi, 20. The two Muslims were being kept at Kaliro central police station on charges of murder and arson, sources said.

The bodies of the deceased were taken to Bumanya Heath Centre for postmortem.

The attack was the latest of many instances of persecution of Christians in Uganda that Morning Star News has documented.

Jesus told us that persecution comes with being a Christian and that prior to His return, it will escalate to refine the church, and only those totally committed to Jesus will be saved.

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 24:9-13

Also, it is hard to understand how the Pope and so many others who call themselves Christians believe that we all serve the one God. The Christian God says to love our enemies, and Allah says to kill them.

WILL WE SEE END TIMES NEPHILIM?

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Nelson Walters looks at some of the circulating end-times conspiracy theories from a Biblical perspective. Most Denominational/Institutional churches do not talk about the Nephilim, and if they do, it is not as hybrid angels/human beings. Why is that the case when the early church and Jewish scholars of the day all believed that a group of angels did come to Earth, mate with women, and produce giant hybrids that the Bible called Nephilim? Also, is there a connection between the alien abductions we hear about today and demons? Does the Bible talk about end-times hybrids? These questions and more are dealt with in Nelson’s video.

MEANING OF THE LETTER TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES OF REVELATION PART SIX

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The sixth church in the sixth year of Daniel’s 70th week is the Church of Philadelphia. The city’s name is derived from the Greek PHILADELPOS, meaning “love for a family member” or “love for a brother.” But what does it say about conditions in the Church of the same name during the Sixth Year of the 70th Week? What remains of the faithful Church will be bound in brotherly love by the persecution of earth-shaking proportions.

The Fifth Year of the 70th Week, which I covered in my last post about the Church of Sardis, is the year of the Great Falling Away. Massive numbers of nominal churchgoers will turn away from the faith when faced with persecution. They will bow to the Beast, his name, and take his number (the Mark of the Beast, likened to 666). The hour of testing the saints will be guarded from is the Wrath of God that occurs during the Seventh Year of the 70th Week.

These Christians will be living on the run, or they will go “underground,” totally weaned from the world economic system. Life in the Sixth Year of the 70th Week will be much like the First Century Church described in Acts; they’ll have all-things in common. Most will have lost family members, either to apostasy or martyrdom. They truly will be one family, the Family of God.

ATTRIBUTES OF JESUS IN THE LETTER TO PHILADELPHIA: In this Letter to Philadelphia, Jesus is described by the following attributes: “He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this.” Revelation 3:7.

The first attribute about Jesus noted is that he is Holy. At the end of the Sixth Year of the 70th Week, Jesus is coming to separate the elect from this world by means of the Rapture. Then they will be “like him.”

The second attribute is that Jesus is true. In the Letter to Philadelphia, truth is contrasted with “lying.” Jesus is true, those of the synagogue of Satan are liars (Rev. 3:9, 1 John 2:22). Jesus is the true light (John 1:9), the true vine (John 15:1), the true Bread (John 6:32), and the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). This attribute being “true” is critical. Those in the Sixth Year of the 70th Week can trust Jesus that he will save them at the appointed time. His word is true.

The third attribute is the most intriguing. Jesus has the key of David. In the last section, we saw a reference to doors that would open and not be shut in regard to Cyrus, who we learned is a type of Christ: “Thus says the Lord to Cyrus His anointed, whom I have taken by the right hand, to subdue nations before him and to loose the loins of kings; to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut“. Isaiah 45:1. Not only does Jesus open and shut the door, he is the door. “. I am the door; if anyone enters through me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10: 9-10. This passage clearly contrasts Jesus with the Antichrist (the thief). In the Sixth Year of the 70th Week, Jesus will use the key of David to open the door no one can shut, call to his sheep, and lead them out in the Rapture. The Key of David appears in the sixth letter in the sequence of seven letters. The Sixth Year of the 70th Week is the year of the Rapture. This is the year the Lord opens the door of heaven for the wise virgins.

CONDITION OF THE CHURCH OF PHILADELPHIA Jesus has nothing but compliments for these survivors of the Great Tribulation, his faithful remnant represented in the Letter to Philadelphia: “I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept my word, and have not denied my name… Because you have kept (Gk: TEREO, meaning to guard) the word of my perseverance (Gk: HYPOMONES, meaning endurance) also will I keep (Gk: TEREO, meaning to guard) you from the hour of testing (Gk: PEIRASMOU, meaning temptation, trial, or testing), that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” Revelation 3:10

The context of this passage in the Letter to Philadelphia means that it is related to the Sixth Year of the 70th Week. Those who overcome are guarded against the “hour of testing” or trial, not the entire 70th Week of Daniel as the pre-tribulation rapture teaches. This is an important distinction. The brief hour of testing the saints will be protected from is the Wrath of God, the Trumpet and Bowl judgements, which occur during the Seventh Year of the 70th Week.

So, for six years of the 70th week of Daniel, the Saints will be on Earth doing the work God has called them to do, and the seventh year will be a sabbatical rest for the Saints in heaven. The Trumpet and Bowl judgements will last for one year and ten days, the same time as when God poured out His wrath the first time with Noah’s Flood. The year before a Jubilee year is always one year and ten days which indicates the year following God’s judgement will be a Jubilee Year.

The final post on the Meaning of the Letters to the Seven Churches of Revelation will be about the church of Laodicea, the church left behind to endure the wrath of God.