UNMASKING GENDER IDEOLOGY

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CONFRONTING TRANSGENDERISM AND PROTECTING CHILDREN

The Christian Post is honored to present “Unmasking Gender Ideology: Protecting Children, Confronting Transgenderism” at First Baptist Church of Dallas on March 23, 2023. A panel of experienced professionals who have been fighting gender ideology in their respective fields will present at the event. All of the panelists contributed to the documentary-style podcast series “Generation Indoctrination: Inside the Transgender Battle” produced by CP. Amie Ichikawa, Woman II Woman; Mary Hasson, Ethics & Public Policy Center; Dr. Andre Van Mol, ACPeds & CMDA; and Jennifer Lahl, Center for Bioethics & Culture, are among the panelists.

Topics discussed will include the perils of gender ideology, the worldwide (including in Texas) indoctrination and medical abuse of children, and the plight of other vulnerable groups like detransitioners and incarcerated women who are increasingly required to share prison cells with men due to gender self-ID laws. The event will be hosted by CP journalist Brandon Showalter. Other featured contributors include Julia Jeffress Sadler, who will speak about her ministry to young people dealing with these difficulties, and Jeff Myers, the president of Summit Ministries and co-author of a recent e-book with CP.

EXPOSING THE GENDER LIE: A new book made available free by Christian Post.

INTRODUCTION …………………………………………… 4
CHAPTER 1
WHY TRANSGENDERISM IS A MEDICAL
(AND SOCIAL) SCANDAL …………………………….. 9
CHAPTER 2
THE HISTORY AND TRAJECTORY OF GENDER IDEOLOGY …………………………………….21
CHAPTER 3
HOW TRANS IDEOLOGY TWISTS LANGUAGE TO DISTORT REALITY …………………. 29
CHAPTER 4
HOW TRANS IDEOLOGY CAPTURED OUR INSTITUTIONS ………………………………………. 36
CHAPTER 5
TRANSGENDER IDEOLOGY AND THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL …………………………..46

What we face is an unprecedented coupling of postmodernist academic theory with an internet-fueled social contagion targeting vulnerable boys and girls who are struggling with their God-given sex. This has given birth to what we call transgender ideology, or gender ideology, which in turn is fueling a medical and social scandal that ambushes our very understanding of reality itself.

Critics of transgender ideology are, predictably, met with withering rebuke. They’re labeled as “transphobic,” hateful, and even criminal. The vitriol seems especially intense when the criticism arises from within the LGBTQ community. One activist called LeVay’s remarks quoted above as “beyond irresponsible,” implying that such comments foster bullying and aggression. Ten Tweets from singer Bette Midler and author JK Rowling expressing concern about the diminishment of womanhood were roundly condemned in forceful and often vulgar ways, even though both women have been longtime supporters of the LGBTQ movement.

If ever there was an end times sign this is it. Jesus said lawlessness would abound in the last days as people jettison God and His values. It will be like the days of Noah when God poured out His wrath on an unrepentant world. We are fast approaching that time when God will pour out His wrath again on a world that rejects Him.

“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?“… “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains... 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: 3, 7-8, 9-13

GOD PRESERVES HIS SERVANTS

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After 52 years of ministry, skydiving 98-year-old preacher, Roy Jernigan wants people to see Jesus in his life. I can relate to Roy’s testimony. I am 86 and I know God still has more for me to do specifically to alert the church to God’s soon-coming Millennial Kingdom on this earth. Checkout http://www.millennialkingdom.net

Asked to comment on the state of the American Church today:

Jernigan quickly explained that the main driver of his faith is the Bible without the trappings of denominational restrictions.

Jernigan has certainly got this right. The denominational church is not the church Jesus established as outlined in the Book of Acts. Jesus calls us all to be disciples who make more disciples. We all like the denominational church model as it removes this essential facet of the church. It is the pastor’s responsibility to grow the church so we can get on with our lives doing what we want to do.

“I’m not a denominational man. I don’t criticize the denominations but think about this: we have all kinds of denominations — Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, you name it, and every one of them has a different doctrine,” he explained. “They can’t all be right. And so, consequently, I don’t claim a denomination. I claim to be a Christian. And as a Christian, I follow the New Testament teachings on the Apostle Paul.”

And Jernigan’s nondenominational approach to ministry aligns with the direction of the American Church today. Data from the 2020 U.S. Religion Census show that in the last 10 years, the number of American Christian adherents in nondenominational churches nearly doubled in number and surpassed America’s largest Protestant denomination, Southern Baptist, by several million adherents.

Other recent studies also show that while America remains a highly religious nation, with seven in 10 claiming affiliation with some kind of organized religion, for the first time in nearly 80 years, fewer than half now say they have formal membership in a specific house of worship. Church attendance has also continued to decline in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.

While he admits that being a Christian today is much harder than it was 50 years ago when fewer distractions were competing for people’s attention, Jernigan believes that the model of many church ministries today is partly to blame for people deserting the pews.

“I’ll be honest with you, one of the biggest problems that pastors have today is trying to build a church on their own,” Jernigan told CP.

“Today, preachers have gotten themselves into such a rut by building big buildings with stained glass windows and everything. And the people have deserted them because they get tired of being bled to death [financially]. And hear the preacher say, ‘you got to give, you got to give, you got to give.’ My conviction is you don’t have to hound Christians to give. If they are saved, they love the Lord, they will give,” he said.

Jernigan also criticized preachers who treat their ministry as a business. “I think it’s the wrong approach. Commercial? You don’t commercialize God. I believe this is a gross mistake, that people, you see so much of this today, trying to commercialize and put things into a peaceful (more like bless me) type of thing rather than teaching the Bible,” he said. “I do believe if preachers would come down off the high horse, and quit preaching, what I call cotton candy messages, that’s all fluff and no substance, I believe there’d be a great difference in the world today.”

And as the church continues to compete for the attention of society today, Jernigan is worried that current social trends might lead to a point in society where Jesus is “completely rejected.”

“Today, there is much more to pull a person away than there was in my day,” he said. “It is much more difficult. And it does appear to me that as the time approaches (Jesus return to put things right), that things are going full circle to the extent that Christ … is going to be completely rejected.”

He urged Christians who left institutional churches but still want to maintain their Christian faith to keep reading the Bible and praying to God for direction.

“My heart goes out to so many people, it really does,” he said. “There are a lot of people out there that are hungry, and they’re thirsting for the Word of God, but they don’t have anyone to give it to them.” You be one of those Christians that does do what Jesus called us to do i.e. bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the lost.

FREEDOM POST

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In partnership with Alliance Defending Freedom, The Christian Post has launched Freedom Post, a free, twice-weekly newsletter highlighting breaking news and headlines on today’s most pressing issues. Sign-up today to stay in-the-know with the latest in religious liberty news from the U.S. and around the world. This twice-weekly newsletter features a roundup of the biggest headlines at home and abroad, as well as key faith and society insights.

The latest edition includes information on the following. If you live in the USA and have not signed up for Freedom Post can I suggest you do? Support this valuable new initiative.

Parental rights in education.
Trans-identified sports participation.
State abortion laws in a post-Roe world.
Border security and immigration law.
Freedom and religious liberty.

Pro-life doctors say they were banned from a medical conference due to abortion stance

The American Association of Pro-Life OB/GYNs say they were banned from running an exhibit booth at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ Council on Resident Education in Gynecology and the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics’ annual meeting because their beliefs on abortion differ from those of the organizers. In a tweet, AAPLOG suggested it was banned from the conference because the ACOG is “upset that we’re telling our patients how harmful abortion is.” AAPLOG noted that they have “presented at the CREOG conference for the last 15 years.” In a video accompanying the tweet, Incoming AAPLOG CEO Dr. Christina Francis said the conference was “for physicians who are educating the next generation of OB/GYNs.” However, just days ahead of the conference—after having already traveled to the area—they were informed that their exhibit booth had been canceled by ACOG. “Despite multiple requests for an explanation as to why, the only explanation we’ve received is a vague explanation that we disagree with ACOG, presumably on the issue of abortion,” she added. Francis characterized the actions as inconsistent with the theme of “Building Bridges,” contending that ACOG has “no desire to build bridges with those of us who disagree even a little bit with them on their position on abortion.” Francis added that such a move is “dangerous for medical students and residents as it normalizes intentional feticide as part of women’s healthcare.” She also expressed concerns about ACOG suppressing scholarly debate, which is a hallmark of scientific advancement.

We cannot say that God has not warned us that in the last days before He returns persecution of Christians will escalate.

“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

“For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.” Matthew 24:21-22

LIVING ETERNAL NOW – READY FOR JESUS RETURN PREFACE:

The Bible is full of fulfilled prophesy which is testimony of its divine inspiration and inerrancy. It is estimated that as much as 75% of the 2,500 prophesies in the Bible have already been fulfilled, and most of those yet to happen are “last days/end time” events.

How many churches today are preparing their congregations for Jesus’ second coming? Do you realize that there are more prophecies about Jesus’ second coming than His first? The Pharisees and Sadducees did not get it with His first coming, and the church is not getting it, with His second coming, maybe in your lifetime.

“For this reason, you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.” Matt. 24:44

Equipped with the knowledge of the Bible’s “last days” prophecies, we will see many of these events unfold in our time. We will look at these unfolding “end times” events in the last chapter, Discerning the Times. It is an exciting time for a Christian who is prepared to live eternal now. For both, the unbeliever and believer alike “great tribulation” is ahead, but the discerning believer understands the times and is prepared.

I would like this book to help equip Christians to fulfill God’s assignment for them in these last days. You will only be able to do that, if you are aware of the times we are in, submit to the indwelling Holy Spirit, have total confidence in God’s Word, and are able to defend it to an unbelieving church, atheists, and agnostics.

The book is available as an ebook and paperback on Amazon.

TRUE TRUTH AND WHAT IS TRUTH

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Truth exists whether or not anyone believes it.

“If there is no absolute beyond man’s ideas, then there is no final appeal to judge between individuals and groups whose moral judgments conflict. We are merely left with conflicting opinions.” —Francis Schaeffer

As one of the foremost evangelical thinkers of the twentieth century, Francis A. Schaeffer long pondered the fate of declining Western culture. Profoundly aware of the similarities modern culture shares with societies that came before, Schaeffer embarked on a journey to uncover the movements that gave rise to modern culture and resulted in the decline of the Christian worldview. 

Forty years later, his classic book How Should We Then Live? is as relevant today as it was when it was first published. Schaeffer argues that the erosion of society begins with a shift away from biblical truth.

Belief in evolution and its billions of years is the biggest stumbling block to believing in the Bible’s history and therefore its inerrancy. Fortunately, the discovery of DNA and more recently the fact there is no junk DNA makes it impossible to believe that life began without an intelligent designer. DNA contains all of the instructions needed for an organism to develop, survive and reproduce. DNA is complex coded information that requires a designer with intelligence beyond that known by man.

Nevertheless, of all truths in the universe, the most important is the truth of who Jesus is. After all, Truth is not merely an impersonal moral standard. It is a living Person who loved us so much He bears on His hands eternal scars because He rescued us.

“Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life” (John 6:47). The phrase “truly I tell you” appears 79 times in Scripture, 78 times spoken by Jesus. He is the Truth, and He tells the truth. We can fully trust everything He says. His promises are written in blood.

Truth exists whether or not anyone believes it.

‘You are a king, then!’ said Pilate. Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.’ ‘What is truth?’ retorted Pilate” (John 18:37-38a).

What is truth? It is reality. When Pilate said of Jesus, “I find no basis for a charge against him” (John 18:38b), he affirmed what he believed and what was indeed true: Jesus was innocent.

Truth claims are exclusive. Jesus didn’t say He was a truth, but “the truth” (John 14:6). If someone says Jesus isn’t the primary truth, then either he’s wrong or Jesus is.

If we grasp this truth, we’ll undergo the ultimate paradigm shift: without Christ, any sacrifice we make is worthless. We are miserable without Jesus. Nothing we have can satisfy us. And even if it did, we couldn’t hold on to it.

When we hear Jesus tell us to take up our crosses and follow Him and say we should lose our lives for His sake, we’re tempted to think, “Then I will never be happy.” But in fact, Jesus is saying our short-term sacrifices for Him are a means to an end, and that end is true and abundant life: “Whoever loses their life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:39).

Important but hard truths

Scripture is full of disheartening diagnoses, including that “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure” (Jeremiah 17:9). But the Great Physician must tell us this hard truth so we can say, “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (Psalm 51:10).

The Physician also promises, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees” (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

When we commit our lives to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ then God the Father sends the third person of the Trinity to indwell our Spirit and enable us to live the Christian life. He produces the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience faithfulness, goodness, gentleness, kindness, and self-control. The Holy Spirit also provides the gifts of the Spirit: 1. Word of wisdom, 2. Word of knowledge, 3. Gift of faith, 4. Gift of healing, 5. Working of miracles, 6. Prophecy, 7. Distinguishing between spirits, 8. Speaking in tongues, 9. Interpreting tongues.

We need to learn from what Jesus said in the garden of Gethsemane when He was faced with His greatest trial.

“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:39

Every day we need to pray likewise to our Heavenly Father “not as I will but as you will” so that we do not grieve the Holy Spirit and quench His work in our lives.

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30

“Do not quench the Spirit.” 1 Thessalonians 5:19

Adapted from an article The Truth About Truth  MARCH 2, 2023 by BY RANDY ALCORN

JESUS REIGNS ON EARTH FOR 1000 YEARS

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After reading the Scriptures below, can anyone who claims to trust in Scripture honestly doubt that the Jewish people have a divine right to the Promised Land?

“He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth. He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac, which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, “To you, I will give the land of Canaan as your portion for an inheritance.” Psalms 105:7-11

“He is the Lord our God; his judgments are in all the earth. Remember his covenant forever, the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations, the covenant that he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac, which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute, to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying, “To you, I will give the land of Canaan, as your portion for an inheritance.” 1 Chronicles 16:14-18

Could Scripture somehow be any clearer in conveying this truth? We can be assured that our God is a God that keeps his promises and is faithful to his word. Even at this point, the nation of Israel has only been partially restored.

The descendants of Abraham, through Isaac and then Jacob, now both dwell in and control some of the Promised Land. The majority of the land is yet to fall under Jewish control. Furthermore, the Jews are experiencing occupation by those worshipping a false god on the Temple Mount. The land promise in the Abrahamic Covenant has not been completed. If those things that are either directly promised by God or originate from those promises have not yet occurred, then we must conclude that they will in the future.

Isaiah prophesied God’s desire for His chosen city.

“For Zion’s sake, I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake, I will not be quiet, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness and her salvation as a burning torch. The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give. You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her” Isaiah 62:1-4

“The city will be surrounded by open country and for the housing of all the tribes of Israel… and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE.” Ezekiel 48:15–19,35

She is to have twelve gates, three on each side, each named after a tribe of Israel (Ezekiel 48:30–34). “Your gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day or night, that men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, and their kings in procession.” Isaiah 60:11

The temple is located outside the city, in the northern section of the sacred land given to the priests and it alone is bigger than the current city of Jerusalem. The millennial Jerusalem sits on the highest plateau and has two rivers flowing out of its east and west sides.

We find incredible detail (8 chapters) of the new temple in Ezekiel 40-48. The numerous details provided on Ezekiel’s temple require that they be taken seriously. The exact measurements and detail-by-detail instruction are nothing like portions of Scripture that are to be understood symbolically. The narrative is reminiscent of that provided for the Tabernacle (Exodus 25–30), and Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 6–8), actual physical structures. No respecter of Scripture would deny that the Shekinah departed an actual temple (Ezekiel 10:18–19; 11:22–23). We should pay the same amount of respect and believe that its return is also to a physical temple (Ezekiel.43:1–5). Ezekiel was told by the angel: “look with your eyes, and hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you. Declare all that you see to the house of Israel.” Ezekiel 40:4

The whole area around Zion will reflect the glory of the LORD, and nations will stream to Jerusalem to worship Jesus in this magnificent temple.

Jesus maintains a memorial to the Battle of Armageddon which was the climax at the end of the previous age and His return to earth with the glorified Saints.

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when the city shall be rebuilt for the Lord from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. And the measuring line shall go out farther, straight to the hill Gareb, and shall then turn to Goah. The whole valley of the dead bodies and the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be sacred to the Lord. It shall not be plucked up or overthrown anymore forever.” Jeremiah 31:38-40

WHO’S BEHIND THE WEATHER? OUR CREATOR GOD

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If you ask most people what controls the wind, most people would probably answer it has to do with the relationship between the earth and the sun, temperature, and pressure imbalances. Few people think of God having control over the wind’s cause or its lack thereof.

Yet Revelation 7:1-3 says: “Then I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds so they did not blow on the earth or the sea, or even on any tree. And I saw another angel coming up from the east, carrying the seal of the living God. And he shouted to those four angels, who had been given the power to harm land and sea, ‘Wait! Don’t harm the land or the sea or the trees until we have placed the seal of God on the foreheads of his servants.’”

In this text, the Bible says God employs his angels to restrain the winds to accomplish a specific purpose. The wind belongs to God. The winds are under his control and subordinate to his will. It’s not so much what’s behind the winds and storms; it’s who.

In his commentary on Revelation, William Barclay, the renowned Scottish Bible scholar, says that the Old Testament often pictures the winds as God’s agents employed in his acts of judgment. Here are a few of Barclay’s examples:

“Zechariah has the picture of the chariots of the winds, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth (Zechariah 6:1-5). Nahum speaks of the Lord who has his way in the whirlwind and the storm (Nahum 1:3) … The winds are God’s chariots (Jeremiah 4:13). God comes with his chariots like a whirlwind (Isaiah 66:15). [Chariots were utilized for warfare and judgment on one’s enemies.] The wind is the breath of God (Job 37:9, 10). The wind rends the mountains (I Kings 19:11) and withers the grass (Isaiah 40:7, 24) and dries up the stream, the river, and the sea (Nahum 1:4; Psalm 18:15). God’s day [Judgment Day] would be the day of the whirlwind (Amos 1:14). The whirlwind of the Lord goes forth in its fury and falls on the head of the wicked (Jeremiah 23:19; 30:23). The wind of the Lord…will come from the wilderness and destroy the fertility of the land (Hosea 13:15). God will send his four winds upon Elam and scatter the people (Jeremiah 49:36).”

Other passages of Scripture provide a window for looking inside God’s pilothouse, not only for the winds but the weather in general. God can use the weather to either bless or punish. Job 37:11-13 reads: “He loads the clouds with moisture, and they flash with his lightning. The clouds churn about at his direction. They do whatever he commands throughout the earth. He makes these things happen either to punish people or to show his unfailing love.”

Perhaps one of the strongest passages which present the way God uses climate conditions to display his sovereignty is in Haggai.

“You hoped for rich harvests, but they were poor. And when you brought your harvest home, I blew it away. Why? Because my house lies in ruins, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, while all of you are busy building your own fine houses. It’s because of you that the heavens withhold the dew and the earth produces no crops. I have called for a drought on your fields and hills — a drought to wither the grain and grapes and olive trees and all your other crops, a drought to starve you and your livestock and to ruin everything you have worked so hard to get.” Haggai 1:9-11

In God’s economy, angels are also associated with affecting weather patterns. Angels have a ministry concerning the earth. They are linked to winds, fires, storms, and pestilence (Psalm 103:20; 104:4; I Chronicles 21:15, 16, 27). Throughout the book of Revelation, they are connected with fire, hail, blood, a plague of locusts, and the poison of scorpions. At certain times in history, God authorizes and directs them to use their tremendous powers to affect meteorological conditions.

The Bible knows nothing of secondary causes. Barclay concludes: Since Adam and Eve, who were initially placed in a perfect environment, rebelled against God and fell into sin, this universe, this planet, has been negatively impacted.

We live in a fallen world. Nature itself is broken like humanity and doesn’t work correctly, and it can’t until the redemption of humankind is complete (Romans 8:19). Therefore, natural disasters are often simply the result of an ailing earth in convulsion.

Nevertheless, when a nation or nations operate grievously in sin, ignore God, reject his ways, and despise Christ and His people with increasing intensity, it shouldn’t surprise us if he intervenes and sends catastrophic natural calamities to get people’s attention. These extraordinary misfortunes mercifully remind us of who is in control. They are warnings with redemptive messages to be reconciled with our Maker.

In their book, God’s Answer for America, Darrel and Cindy Deville rightly state these environmental conditions are referenced as “global warming” or “climate change.” But the Deville’s point to a more likely cause, arguing: “No matter what they call it, these things are all part of the birthing pains and natural disasters that will increase as Jesus prophesied (Matthew 24:7; Mark 13:8; Luke 21:11, 25-26).

These are not ‘global warming’ (or ‘climate change’), but they are part of God’s ‘global warnings’ as signs for these last days. These will continue to increase and shift as the return of Christ gets closer to birth a new age, his millennial reign. We also believe things will be happening and shifting in the days ahead that will cause scientists to be baffled.

Politicians claim we all need to work together to ‘battle climate change,’ but there is nothing they can do to stop it. Like a woman in labor, the contractions will become more frequent and more intense the closer the new birth gets. So, this is not about ‘climate change.’ But the earth is instead preparing for a ‘kingdom change’ – the coming glorious kingdom and reign of Christ on earth (Revelation 11:15)

THE ORIGIN OF VALENTINE’S DAY

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What is The Origin Of Valentine’s Day?

For this we have to go back to the Roman Empire, February 14, 269AD, when citizens were forced to worship the Roman gods, and “deified” emperors, by placing a pinch of incense on a burning fire before their statues.

Those who refused worship of the Roman gods were considered “politically incorrect” or “unpatriotic” enemies of the state and killed. Emperor Decian’s persecution specifically targeted Christians with legislation forcing them to deny their consciences or die.

During the first three centuries of Christianity, there were ten major persecutions in which the government threw Christians to the lions, boiled them alive, had their tongues cut out, and worse.

Roman soldiers would break into church meetings, catacombs, and homes, confiscating and destroying Christian writings, bibles, and church records. Because so many records were destroyed, details of Saint Valentine’s life are scant. Though several individuals may have had that name, it appears Saint Valentine was either a priest in Rome or a bishop in Terni, central Italy.

What little is known is mostly known from the works of Eusebius of Caesarea, compiled around 362 AD, and the Martyrologium Hieronymianum (Martyrology of Jerome), compiled around A.D. 460-544. Saint Valentine is mentioned in Legenda Sanctorum by Jacobus de Voragine in 1260 and in the 1493 Nuremberg Chronicle.

In the 3rd century, it was against the law to be married as a Roman soldier. Saint Valentine risked the Emperor’s wrath by standing up for traditional marriage and secretly marrying soldiers to their young brides. When Emperor Claudius also demanded that Christians deny their consciences and worship pagan idols, Saint Valentine refused.

He was arrested and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to die. While awaiting execution, his jailer, Asterius, asked Saint Valentine to pray for his blind daughter. When she miraculously regained her sight, the jailer converted and was baptized, along with many others.

This resulted in Saint Valentine being beaten with clubs and stones, and when that failed to kill him, he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate on FEBRUARY 14, 269AD. Asterius, the jailer, and all the others who got converted were also put to death. Jesus said (Acts 1:8), “You shall be my witnesses.” The Greek word for “witness” is “martyr”. Many 3rd century people knew they would be martyred soon as they converted, and many were the same hour.

Right before Saint Valentine was executed, he wrote a note to the jailer’s daughter, signing it, “from your Valentine.”

In a “note” from Jesus He said (John 15:13), “Greater love has no man than this than a man lay down his life for his friends.” And Paul wrote (Romans 5:7-8): “Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person… But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”

Jesus and Paul’s mandate, how it happened in history, and how it can today – read it in Jim’s book Christian Manifesto (Vol. 1) at:www.JimsBookstore.com

Jim McCotter is well aware that tribulation – persecution of Christians will escalate in the last days before Jesus returns. Those that will not take the Mark of the Beast will be martyred as the early Christians were. At the opening of the sixth seal (Revelation 6:9) John was shown the souls of the martyrs they had not been raised with bodies at that point in time. The good news is that shortly, after the blast of the trumpet at the seventh seal John sees the raised saints with bodies standing before the throne with palm branches in their hands praising God the Father and Jesus.

“ When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth? Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.” Revelation 6:9–10

“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” Revelation 7:9-12

KENYA HOUSE CHURCH MOVEMENT

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For four years now, I have been partly funding the Kenya House Church Movement taking one missionary trip a month to rural towns to establish house churches.

In April 2022, I visited Migori, Kenya to meet 21 House Church leaders and put on a three-day training meeting in a tin shed. We had a diesel-powered generator and WiFi and were able to have a Zoom Meeting with Creation Ministries International.

In this picture Pastor Charles Otieno Owino is on the far left and it is obvious where I am. Note there are many young men leading the house churches. Ongoing training is important for the group and I have been able to hold at least one Zoom Meeting.

I am now in my 87th year on this planet and God has me narrowing my ministry focus on Jesus’ soon-coming Millennial Kingdom. I have advised Charles that I will no longer be financially supporting KHC Mission Trips and he was of cause disappointed. Nevertheless, he is aware that God is in total control of His planet and all that goes on it so he knows that God can raise up whosoever just as he did me to take this ministry forward.

I did commit to putting this post up so that my followers can pray for KHC and if they feel led, take on the task of supporting the movement with funds. If you are interested can I suggest you go take a look at some of the Kenya House Church Mission Trips that I have put up on this website. The last one was on December 17th, 2022 Kenya HouseChurch Mission Trip to Uriri.

You can communicate directly with Charles Otieno Owino, email address: otienochris@yahoo.com. Home address: Isibana Rd, Kenya. He banks with Diamond Trust Bank Kenya. I have sent funds using Western Union and he collects the funds at W.U. Migori.

You may have noticed that I put a Donations icon on the Home Page of this website solely to support the KHC Movement. I will maintain this icon as I will continue to post reports on the KHC Mission Trips as long as I am able.

JESUS TOLD US TO WATCH FOR THE END TIMES SIGNS HE AND THE PROPHETS HAVE GIVEN US

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One thing is certain Jesus tells us to be watchful concerning the end times. In the New Testament, Jesus, Paul, Peter, and John all refer to the discipline of “watching or being “watchful”. In fact, they refer to it twenty-three times! It is a key way we prepare for the Last Days by watching.

“Watch you therefore: for you do not know when the master of the house comes, in the evening, at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he finds you sleeping. And I say to you and to you all, Watch.” Mark 13:35-37

The Greek word translated “watch” carries the meaning of being alert and staying awake to watch for the events that the Bible indicates will happen prior to Jesus’ return.

Jesus told us the Parable of the Ten Virgins as an indicator of what the church will be like on His return. Sadly, all ten waiting for the bridegroom (Jesus) were asleep, and even worse half of them did not have oil for their lamps. When they returned with oil, Jesus said to them ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you’. Jesus tells us here that prior to His return the church will be asleep and up to half of the people in our churches are not born again. This is the case today with apostasy in the church rife: most of the denominational churches have compromised with the world on gay marriage and homosexuality.

Jesus finishes the parable with: “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour”. What are we watching for? All the signs He has given us so that we know that time is short and we need to complete the great commission. If we aren’t thinking about Jesus’ return on a regular basis, then we won’t notice events in our world that could indicate the end is approaching. We do not know the day nor the hour but we can observe all the chronological signs he has given us and be prepared for the coming tribulation, even great tribulation.

God has raised up many end times ministries and one recent one is Last Days Overcomers http://www.lastdaysovercomer.org where you can download the must-read book: 10 SIGNS – The Last Days Have Already Begun.