HOW DO WE RESPOND TO INCREASING PERSECUTION?

As we see the final days approaching, how do we respond? Do we get overwhelmed by the looming threats to our daily lives? Are we overcome with fear when thinking of the things that are soon to come upon this Earth? Do we look inward and despair or do we look upward to Christ with hope?

The steps of a man are established by the LORD when he delights in his way; though he falls, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand.Psalms 37:23-24

As believers, we have confidence knowing that our steps are guided by the one who purchased us at Calvary. We have the certainty that our good Shepherd will lead us through the most difficult of times. Why? Because He said He would.

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

We have the assurance that Christ will be with us until the very end. Though many will fall away and betray one another, we can always rely on Christ to remain with us – His sons and daughters.

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. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.Matthew 24:9-14

If you doubt the Lord’s provision, let me remind you of the one who led His people out of Egypt and fed them with manna for 40 years in the wilderness. How about the one who fed the 5,000 with just five loaves and two fish?

The one who did these things is also the one who says, “I am with YOU always.” We have no reason to fear the coming days. For if we delight in the Lord and His ways…He will guide our steps.

Pray that we may serve Him well until the very end Maranatha!

HAVE THE LAST DAYS BEGUN?

Read what Marquis Laughlin has to say, “as a new believer, I was fascinated to discover that God has told us in the Bible everything He is about to do. It contains hundreds of fulfilled predictions. Many of them were fulfilled down to the day! That’s really what sold me on God. He is in control. He is sovereign, all-knowing, and all-powerful! He is…God!”

Marquis Laughlin wrote the Foreword for the new FREE BOOK 10 SIGNS The Last Days Have Already Begun. It is available on the new website created by Nelson Walters and Jake McCandless http://www.lastdaysovercomer.org. If you are not positive we are in the last days before Jesus returns to earth then you MUST read this book.

“The days are near when every vision will be fulfilled.” Ezekiel 12:23

Apostle Paul commends the Bereans as being more noble” because they “searched the scriptures daily” to see if Paul’s teachings were true.

Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many of them, therefore, believedActs 17:11

If the Bereans thought it was wise to double-check Paul’s writing with the scriptures, shouldn’t we be regularly checking the scriptures to make sure what we’ve been taught is accurate?

As you read 10 Signs The Last Days Have Already Begun I pray that you will be like the Bereans were, that you’ll be a story detective, searching the scriptures daily to make sure what is being taught here is true. May the Lord grant you even more of the context you need to understand your part in His Story better.

Jesus began his teaching to the disciples on the end times with: “Now learn this parable from the fig tree.” Jesus thought this teaching was so important that He commanded his followers to learn this parable and what its interpretation meant. It was the only time in scripture that He gave His followers that command.

Learning this parable is probably a great place for any Christian to start understanding the Last Days. From it, you can figure out if you are part of the Final Generation; and therefore, if you need to begin to prepare for those times.

If we can know and confirm in our hearts that we are the final generation and we’re in the last days, then how will we respond?

Mental belief isn’t enough, we must respond in action.
Conviction is required. Conviction we can know the signs. Conviction they are being fulfilled. Conviction to believe God will bring these things to pass. Conviction to prepare. Conviction to help others prepare. Conviction to step back from the arguments and move forward in unity. Conviction to make the most of this time for the Lord.

Satan is acting in response to knowing the end is coming. He knows his time is short so he’s trying to inflict as much harm as possible.

Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath because he knows that his time is short!” Revelation 12:12


GOD APPOINTS LEADERS

Just as God appointed Italy’s new Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, its first female prime minister (see recent post “Italians Made Wise Choice“), whose focus is on protecting the institutions of God, family, and country, we now have the new UK Prime Minister Liz Truss pledged “wholehearted” support for the Jewish State during a speech at the Conservative Friends of Israel (CFI) conference on Monday.

“I am so pleased to be here for the first time at the CFI event as your prime minister,” Truss was quoted as saying by the Jewish Chronicle.

“As you know I am a huge Zionist, I am a huge supporter of Israel, and I know that we can take the UK-Israel relationship from strength to strength.”

Prime Minister Yair Lapid meets with UK Prime Minister Liz Truss, September 21, 2022, 

“In this world – where we are facing threats from authoritarian regimes who don’t believe in freedom and democracy – two free democracies, the UK and Israel, need to stand shoulder to shoulder and we will be even closer in the future,” she said.

Truss stressed that her country’s support for Israel is “absolute” and “wholehearted,” while adding that the UK and its allies would ensure that Iran “will never…get a nuclear weapon.”

During a meeting with Prime Minister Yair Lapid last month, Truss mentioned that the UK is weighing moving its embassy – which is currently located in Tel Aviv – to Jerusalem.

God reestablished Israel as a nation back in 1948 as part of His “end times” plan and He has used leaders like Trump and now Truss to support His plan. We know from Biblical prophecy that Israel will suffer greatly under the Antichrist and as many as 2/3 of the population killed or deported but ultimately Jesus will return to rescue His nation at the battle of Armageddon and set up His Millennial Kingdom in a completely restored Jerusalem.

They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.Revelation 20:4-6

BIBLICAL PROPHECY UNFOLDING IN OUR TIME

From WIN Israel News June 6th, 2022:

“The goal of Iran’s mullahs is to spread their control to as many countries as possible by using their terrorist proxies, including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Houthi militia in Yemen.

The mullahs’ efforts, however, are not limited to the use of military force and terrorism in the four Arab countries. The mullahs have every reason to be satisfied. Their effort to stop Arabs from signing peace agreements with Israel scored an achievement when Iraq’s parliament voted in favor of a law to criminalize normalization with the “Zionist entity,” punishable with a death sentence.

Iran’s rulers are also seeking to increase their political influence in all of these countries. They aim to turn Iran into a superpower and major player in the Middle East at a time when U.S. influence in the region appears to be dwindling.

Watching Turkey – Iran Prophecy Align

Iran which is Shia Muslim is fulfilling Bible prophecy as outlined in Daniel 8. It is pushing westward, northward, and southward with its proxies.

And I saw in the vision; and when I saw, I was in Susa the citadel, which is in the province of Elam (in Iran). And I saw in the vision, and I was at the Ulai canal. I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram (Iran) standing on the bank of the canal. It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward. No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue him from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.Daniel 8:2-4

As I have mentioned before in a number of posts we need to watch for what comes next the goat (Turkey) which is Sunni Muslim will overcome the ram (Iran) and attempt to revive its Ottoman Empire.

As I was considering, behold, a male goat (Turkey) came from the west across the face of the whole earth, without touching the ground. And the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes. He came to the ram (Iran) with the two horns, which I had seen standing on the bank of the canal, and he ran at him in his powerful wrath. I saw him come close to the ram, and he was enraged against him and struck the ram and broke his two horns. And the ram had no power to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him. And there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power.Daniel 8:5-7

Turkey has a brief moment of glory but then it is broken up into four probably by the United Nations and or Russia and out of one of these four comes the little horn (Antichrist).

Then the goat (Turkey revived Ottoman Empire) became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.
Out of one of them came a little horn (Antichrist), which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. It grew great, even to the host of heaven.
Daniel 8:8-10

BIBLE PROPHECY BEING FULFILLED IN OUR DAY

PROPHESIED ESCALATING CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION IN THE END TIMES

More than 400 million Christians live in countries that persecute churches — and that persecution is only worsening, according to the leader of a Roman Catholic human rights organization based in Italy.

Iraqi Christians

Alessandro Monteduro, director of ACS-Italia, the Italian chapter of Aid to the Church in Need, told Vatican News in an interview published last week that there were around 416 million Christians who live “in lands of persecution.”

“Unfortunately, all the reports of the charity agencies, but also those reports that involve the states most willing to do so, such as the United States and Great Britain, tell of a tightening of their conditions.”

Monteduro also told Vatican News that in “certain areas of the planet,” such as the continent of Africa, “the suffering of Christian communities is worsening” due to religious intolerance.

“Across Africa, from sub-Saharan Africa to East Africa, there are at least a couple of dozen terrorist organizations that have the ambition, from their point of view, to install caliphates in their territories,” he continued.

He also spoke of violent persecution in India due to local fears that Christian groups are trying to convert Hindus to Christianity, adding that there was “too much indifference to these tragedies.”

Monteduro’s concerns over the rising intolerance of Christianity in Africa were echoed by the ecumenical Christian group Release International and its Persecution Trends 2022 report.

Release International cited multiple African countries, as well as the nations of India and North Korea, as regions that were “of growing concern” for local Christian communities.

In 2021 in Burkina Faso, for example, local Islamic terrorists engaged in a host of attacks on churches, including bombings, school burnings, assaulting places of worship, and murders.

Release International also expressed concern about Afghanistan, which was recently taken over by the Taliban shortly after the U.S. pulled its troops out but left its military equipment.

“In 2022, there is a very real threat of higher levels of violent persecution in Afghanistan,” stated Release International CEO Paul Robinson, as part of the report.

“Our partners tell us that Christians who are unwilling to follow the outward forms of Islam, such as praying at the mosque and saying the shahada, the Islamic profession of faith, will stand out more clearly.”

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. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Matthew 24:9-14

 

ALIYAH PROPHESIED PRIOR TO JESUS RETURN

Aliyah (immigration to Israel) surged in 2021, with the 27,050 new arrivals from across the globe representing a 30% increase over the previous year’s 21,820 Olim (immigrants), according to statistics released Wednesday by the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, the Jewish Agency for Israel, and Nefesh B’Nefesh.

This past year also brought a record-breaking 4,000 Olim from the US, who arrived in Israel with the assistance of Nefesh B’Nefesh. Immigration from the US in 2021 constituted a 30% increase over 2020 and the highest annual number of Olim from the US since 1973. Another 400 Olim arrived this year from Canada, bringing the expected total of Olim from North America in 2021 to over 4,400.

The Aliyah numbers also show a 40% uptick in Aliyah from France this year compared to 2020, with the arrival of 3,500Olim, the highest number of arrivals from that country in the last four years.

Immigrants to Israel
“Olim (immigrants) are an incredible growth engine for the Israeli economy and are a national, economic, and moral powerhouse for the nation.”

Aliyah is facilitated by the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration and The Jewish Agency, together with Nefesh B’Nefesh, Ofek Israeli, The Jewish Federations of North America, Keren Hayesod, The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, and friends of Israel from around the world.

Minister of Aliyah and Integration Pnina Tamano-Shata stated that “Aliyah continues to break records. Despite the pandemic and its limitations, Aliyah to Israel did not stop and we’re happy to welcome tens of thousands of Olim who chose to make Aliyah this year.

The Bible reveals God will regather the Jews from all the Nations and on Jesus’ return, with Him ruling and reigning, Israel will realise her destiny as head of the Nations.

The regathering began in 1948 when Israel was miraculously re-established as a nation. This was the first major prophesied “end-times” sign.

Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will take the people of Israel from the nations among which they have gone, and will gather them from all around, and bring them to their own land. And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. And one king shall be king over them all, and they shall be no longer two nations, and no longer divided into two kingdoms. They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols and their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions. But I will save them from all the backslidings in which they have sinned and will cleanse them, and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.Ezekiel 37:21-23

The priest and prophet Ezekiel lived during the darkest days of Judah’s history: the seventy-year period of Babylonian captivity. The fact he wrote this prophecy at that time is proof positive this is the word of God.

THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT

Tribulation is ahead for Born Again Believers who uphold Biblical inerrancy and therefore God’s moral values. Moreover, the apostasy we see playing out in the world today was prophesied by God to occur in the “end times” prior to Jesus’ return to this earth.

Clergywoman marrying two males

The sanctity of marriage was established in the beginning, in Genesis. Gay marriage is law in many countries in total opposition to God.

Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.Genesis 2:24

Homosexuality is an abomination to God who made males and females and defined their roles and the institution of marriage. They along with many other sinners will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.1 Corinthians 6:9-10

The following Scripture shows us that Paul and those with him experienced intense tribulation when they went to Asia. What is important for us to note is what God did in response. Also, note Paul’s request for prayer and why; “so many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many”.

For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction (tribulation) we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On Him, we have set our hope that He will deliver us again. You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.2 Corinthians 1:8-11

We should not be fearful of the coming tribulation. Why? Because God will comfort His children who are in any affliction or tribulation.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.2 Corinthians 1:3-4

BIBLICAL PROPHECY REVEALS COMING CHAOS AND TRIBULATION PRIOR TO JESUS TRIUMPHANT RETURN

Fulfilled Biblical prophecies are proof the Bible is God’s Word that reveals not only the true history of His world but it reveals how He will end the story.

There are more prophecies about Jesus second coming to this earth to rule and reign for one thousand years than there were for His first coming to earth and there were more than three hundred of those that were all fulfilled to the letter.

That’s why biblical prophecy is so important. Each prophetic verse in the Bible is another brick in the tower of HOPE that God wants to build in our minds and hearts.

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 15:4

Biblical prophecy never leads us down dark pathways. It leads us past chaos and tribulation to Christ Himself, who is over all victorious. Those without Christ will feel ill at ease when reading God’s plans for the future. But those who walk with the Lord should rejoice whenever our mind learns something more about the “glory which shall be revealed”

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.” Romans 8:18-21

The writers of the Bible viewed the End Times as the opening curtain for the return of Christ, and they anticipated the scene.

Peter told us we should be “looking forward to these things”.

Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peacetake care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.2 Peter 3:14,17-18

And Jesus said,

Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near Luke 21:28

They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” Revelation 20:4-6

Biblical hope is sure, certain, and inexorable—promised by the decrees of God, guaranteed by the resurrection of Christ, and confirmed by the indwelling Holy Spirit. 

CHRISTIANITY WITHOUT CHRIST

Have we arrived at a Christianity without Christ? Find out with guest Dennis Pollock and Tim Moore of the Lamb & Lion Ministries evangelism team as they provide their Prophetic Perspectives.

Lamb & Lion Ministries was founded in 1980 by Dr David Reagan as a non-denominational, independent ministry. The Ministry does not seek to convert people to any particular church. Rather, it seeks to lift up Jesus and draw people to Him as Lord and Saviour.

The Ministry was established for the purpose of proclaiming the soon return of Jesus. We do not believe it is possible to know the date when Jesus will return. But we do believe it is possible to know the season of the Lord’s return, and it is our conviction that we are living in that season. As all of my followers know this is also my calling.

A GODLESS CONFUSED WORLD

The classic story of “Cinderella” is getting a “modern makeover” as a musical complete with the LGBTQ injection of a genderless fairy godmother. 

Entertainment Weekly (EW) reports Camilla Cabello will make her big-screen debut in the title role, and actor-activist Billy Porter will portray her fairy godmother. 

Kay Cannon, the movie’s writer-director told EW she wrote the role specifically for Porter. His fairy godmother role is described by Cannon as a supernatural being who stands for being true to oneself, and who transcends mundane human labels.

Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File

“Billy articulated the idea that magic has no gender,” Cannon said.

This unusual new version of Cinderella will stream on Amazon Prime in September, according to EW

As CBN’s Faithwire reported last year, Hollywood elites claim to be pro-feminism, but this new film sure makes it clear sexism is alive and well in Tinseltown.

Porter called the movie “a classic fairytale for a new generation,” during an interview at the time with CBS News. 

“It hit me when I was on the set last week, how profound it is that I am playing the Fairy Godmother — they call it the ‘Fab G,’” he said. “We are presenting this character as genderless — at least that’s how I’m playing it, and it’s really powerful.”

Porter, the man known for his “gender-bending” outfits at award shows (he often wears dresses), has made headlines for rebuking sexism and misogyny, but not in the way you might think. While there is plenty of sex-based discrimination against women in Hollywood and elsewhere, Porter is busy decrying how he — as a male — is the victim of misogyny because people think it’s weird he wears bodices and elegant dresses flowing with tulle on the red carpet.

He talked about it on ABC’s “The View” last summer, where he got a little help from co-host Joy Behar who opined with Porter that the reason people are uncomfortable with men wearing dresses is that they “hate women.”

ANALYSIS: THE CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE

In reality, it’s something more profound than that. Certainly, there are some who still carry with them misogynistic perspectives. But the reality is this: people are uncomfortable with the undoing of the sexes as God intended them — male and female. The erasure of that binary is a rebellion against God’s design, and whether Christian or not, the breakdown of that structure is worrisome because the continuation of humanity quite literally depends on it.

“I think the new generation is really ready,” Porter said of his role in “Cinderella” and of the push toward “gender fluidity.” “The kids are ready. It’s the grownups that are slowing stuff down.”

Writing for Faithwire, Tré Goins-Phillips noted: “It’s pretty ironic to think the progressive Hollywood left — the cadre of people keen on equity between men and women — are giddy overturning a historically powerful female role into a ‘genderless’ part and handing it to a male.”

“The sad irony is what Porter himself proves about this push to suppress the male and female binary: in the end, it only suppresses women more,” he wrote. Meanwhile, Porter is also breaking some other new ground. He just announced he’s been HIV positive for 14 years and that he’s tired of the “stigma” surrounding the disease.

We are living in a world where this Scripture is prophetic of the godless world we see playing out before us.

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting” (Romans 1:28).