Do you struggle with knowing what to say and how to say it when a controversial topic such as abortion comes up?
“Challenging Conversations”, hosted by author and Christian worldview expert Jason Jimenez ia a conversational podcast designed to help Christians overcome their fears and learn to respectfully engage people of a different view or belief system. You will gain insight as Jason and his guests get into deep conversations about the Christain faith and discuss how Christians ought to be defending the Gospel as they speak the truth in love to those around them.
Click on the link below to hear Jason on How to defend the unborn.
Critically acclaimed and beautifully acted, The Chosen helps you encounter Jesus like never before. The #1 crowd-funded media project of all time, and the first-ever multi-season series based on the true stories of the gospels of Jesus Christ, The Chosen presents a dramatic retelling of well-known gospel stories. And now, you can watch “Invitations” for FREE in RevelationMedia’s online event!Make sure you do, click on the link
“The coming of the lawless one (Antichrist) is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12
The strong delusion that God sends (allows) is the supernatural power that the Antichrist works on earth to back up his claim to be God. The Biblical Antichrist is a false Messiah and it is not a coincidence that the Islamic Messiah called the Mahdi lines up with the Biblical Antichrist. Nelson compares the two in his video, The Great Delusion.
The Satanically inspired Islamic Messiah called the Mahdi is eagerly awaited by various sects of Muslims around the world, but most notably ISIS and Iranian leaders.
Last week the prestigious and non-partisan Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released a new study on beliefs and attitudes in the Islamic world, entitled “The World’s Muslims: Unity and Diversity.
Looking at specific countries, the highest percentage of the population expecting the Mahdi’s near-term appearance is found in Afghanistan (83 percent), followed by Iraq (72 percent), Turkey (68 percent), and Tunisia (67 percent). Sixty percent of Pakistanis, 51 percent of Moroccans, 46 percent of Palestinians, and 40 percent of Egyptians are looking for the Mahdi in their lifetimes.
While there are differences about the details of who he is and what he will do, both Sunni and Shia Muslims share the belief in the establishment of a global Islamic state under his rule and in the annihilation of non-Muslim nations. And both are actively working towards the fulfillment of the prophecies that would see the Mahdi rule the world.
Who controls the world? Are they the Divine Council in the Bible found in numerous chapters like Psalm 82?
In this Scripture, we are shown God meeting with these fallen angels at a divine council meeting. It says “He holds judgment”. They are doing wickedly on earth and will be judged for it.
God has taken his place in the divine council; in the midst of the gods, He holds judgment:“How long will you judge unjustly and show partiality to the wicked? Selah. Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are shaken. I said, “You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you; nevertheless, like men, you shall die, and fall like any prince.” Psalms 82:1-7
According to Deuteronomy, God assigned each nation to the Sons of God. Do these fallen angels or Elohim still control them?
In the following two Scriptures, we learn that the Angel Gabriel who appeared to Daniel revealed that there are Demonic Princes of Nations. The prince of Persia that he fought on the way to meet with Daniel and after as well, and the Prince of Greece that turned up after he left Daniel. We also learn that the Archangel Michael is the Prince over Israel and that he alone could assist Gabriel in fighting against them. Despite being fallen angels they are still mighty.
“The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”Daniel 10:13-14
“But now I will return to fight against the prince of Persia; and when I go out, behold, the prince of Greece will come. But I will tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth: there is none who contends by my side against these except Michael, your prince.” Daniel 10:20-21
Do they control western nations like the United States, Great Britain, and Australia? What is God’s plan to restore the dominion of the nations and the earth to his people? This is part of a longer series by Nelson on Revelation. Click on the link to watch the whole series:
Of an estimated 176 million American adults who identify as Christian, just 6% or 15 million of them actually hold a biblical worldview, a new study from Arizona Christian University shows. The finding was published by the Cultural Research Centre of Arizona Christian University in its recently released American Worldview Inventory, an annual survey that evaluates the worldview of the U.S. adult population.
The study shows, in general, that while a majority of America’s self-identified Christians, including many who identify as evangelicals, believe that God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and is the Creator of the universe, more than half reject a number of biblical teachings and principles, including the existence of the Holy Spirit.
Strong majorities also errantly believe that all religious faiths are of equal value, people are basically good, and that people can use acts of goodness to earn their way into Heaven. The study further showed that majorities don’t believe in moral absolutes; consider feelings, experience, or the input of friends and family as their most trusted sources of moral guidance; and say that having faith matters more than which faith you pursue. “Too often, it seems, people who are simply religious, or regular churchgoers, or perhaps people who want a certain reputation or image embrace the label ‘Christian,’ regardless of their spiritual life and intentions,” George Barna, the lead researcher at the Cultural Research Center, explained in a statement.
“Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24:30-31
Some 62% of self-identified born-again Christians contend that the Holy Spirit is not a real, living being but is merely a symbol of God’s power, presence, or purity.
Another 61% say that all religious faiths are of equal value, and 60% believe that if a person is good enough, or does enough good things, they can earn their way into Heaven.
“As the groundbreaking American Worldview Inventory surveys have demonstrated, just 6% of U.S. adults possess a biblical worldview. Labelled ‘Integrated Disciples’ for their demonstrated ability to assimilate their beliefs into their lifestyle, this group consistently, albeit imperfectly, comes closest to reflecting biblical principles into their opinions, beliefs, behaviours, and preferences,” Barna explained.
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Matthew 7:13-14
More than 99% of this group “believe that the Bible is the accurate and reliable words of God, believe that God is the all-knowing, all-powerful and just Creator of the universe who still rules the universe today” and “say they have a unique, God-given calling.” Significant minorities still held beliefs that challenge the biblical worldview. These include: 25% say there is no absolute moral truth; 33% believe in karma; 39% contend that the Holy Spirit is not a real, living being but is merely a symbol of God’s power, presence, or purity; 42% believe that having faith matters more than which faith you pursue, and 52% argue that people are basically good. “The survey results clearly demonstrate how careful you have to be when interpreting data associated with a particular segment of people who are labelled as Christians,” Barna warned.
Please check out my previous post: Egyptian Stories Reveal Noah’s Flood posted October 20th, 2021.
There are three main flood stories that emerged in Egypt from Heliopolis, Memphis, and Hermopolis. The similarities between these stories are that they all feature a primordial ocean, a primeval hill, and a deification of nature. The story from Heliopolis features a group of nine gods. It speaks of Atum,the creator god, and theOgdoad, the eight gods on the boat. The Hermopolis story features the Ogdoad, agroup of eight gods. Could these represent the eight people who survived the flood?
The name “Ham” means hot, black, noise, or troubled. “Kek”, the final god in the Ogdoad, means darkness, floodwater, or twilight. These similarities suggest that Kek represents Ham. Additionally, Kek is also known as Horus, therefore Ham = Kek = Horus.
Look at the remarkable similarities between Biblical Ham and the Egyptian God Horus.
More than half of preachers in mainline Protestant churches are now “seriously considering” leaving full-time ministry a new study from Barna Group shows
.Joe Jensen, Barna’s vice president of church engagement, told The Christian Post that the growing number of pastors now looking to leave their full-time positions is cause for alarm. “This particular stat, this is the highest we’ve ever seen it,” Jensen said, pointing to the burnout he believes many pastors are experiencing in the wake of the pandemic.
“We’re concerned with how this is impacting the overall health of the Church. I really believe that at the heart of every healthy church is a healthy pastor. So this is definitely, almost four out of 10 pastors in America seriously considering quitting full-time ministry in the last year, a cause for concern.” Jensen said he believes the pandemic has “had a significant impact” on the well-being of pastors based on data they have gathered amid the pandemic.
Jensen said in 2020 when the pandemic shuttered many churches, many pastors “were just in survival mode, trying to figure out how to get online when they weren’t, and how to connect with their people even when they weren’t there to connect with them.” In 2021, as people began to emerge from lockdowns and churches have begun to open up, pastors are now struggling with the slow return of many of their congregants. “As we went to 2021, especially as churches started to come back in person, we were starting to pay attention to, how did it impact their overall well-being when their people weren’t coming back? Like, they probably were expecting them to. And so 2021 has definitely had all these set of challenges for pastors,” Jensen said.
Jesus is refining His church, the institutional model of paid pastors and religious tradition is failing. The early home church model as described in the Book of Acts was able to survive persecution just as the underground church did in China and Muslim countries today. This will be the model for the end times church as Christian persecution escalates as prophesied. The author of Crazy Love, Francis Chan who walked away from a church of 5000 describes his new church model.
“Everyone’s in these homes so that it cost nothing,” Chan described. “We have 30 pastors now that all do it for free. We send them out in twos. So we have 14/15 house churches. And we just plan on multiplying, doubling every year. In ten years we could have 1.2 million people. And free.”
According to the “We Are Church” website, Chan’s new church model is structured as follows:
1.) Each church meets in a home.
2.) Each church has two pastors, both of whom aren’t paid.
3.) Tithes and offerings are collected, but all are set aside to be used for missions locally and abroad.
One of the most known “end times” Biblical prophecies is the Battle of Armageddon. It is the final battle when Jesus liberates Israel from the Antichrist forces on the plains of Megiddo. Armageddon is a Hebrew word for the valley called Megiddo (valley of Megiddo).
The following article from the Jewish News Syndicate is evidence that we are fast approaching the time when the Antichrist will appear on the scene. At first, he will appear to be Israel’s saviour with a peace plan.
I am not suggesting that this will happen in the next year or two because the Bible’s timeline for the “end times” reveals in Daniel 8.
1. The Goat (Turkey, Sunni) and the Ram (Iran, Shia) battle for dominance has not yet played out.
2. Turkey’s attempt to re-establish a revived Ottoman Empire will be dashed when it is broken up into four Kingdoms out of which the Antichrist (Little Horn) emerges.
Then the goat (Turkey) 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, 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 8:9-10
The Jezreel Valley in Israel also known as the Valley of Megiddo
Israel is in a war that is difficult to identify, as there is no shelling by tanks and cannons or bombing by planes.
By Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar, Jewish News Syndicate
“When senior Israeli government ministers meet with the chairman of the Palestinian Authority; when the defense minister promotes a long line of gestures and grants to PA leader Mahmoud Abbas; when the American administration revives the notion of a two-state solution and partition of the land; when U.S. President Joe Biden presses for the opening of a consulate for the PA in the heart of Jerusalem as an expression of his aspiration to see it as the capital of Palestine; when more and more Israeli ministers speak out against settlement and in favor of the partition of the land; we find ourselves in the midst of a silent, gradual and dangerous war.
That is why the Sovereignty Movement and some 20 other organizations that love the land of Israel and Jerusalem, have initiated protests to call on Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and his government to stand resolutely and preserve the unity of Jerusalem.
For 12 years, the impression was that it was no longer necessary to stage demonstrations and vigils, but, apparently, we were wrong.
We must take to the streets and, in the name of devotion to and love of Jerusalem, to battle in its defense, rouse the people and spur the leaders to action. We will not enable Israeli submission to American dictates.”
As well as being surrounded by hostile Muslim nations intent on Israel’s destruction they are pressured by the UN and now America whom Israel considers one of its only allies.
Many of the orthodox Jews believe the 1800 prophecies in their Torah that reveal that their Messiah, will return to rescue Israel and He will rule and reign the nations from a completely restored Jerusalem. Sadly, they do not know it is Jesus whom they rejected 2000 odd years ago now. Pray for Israel.
The Pope is like the Pharisees and Sadducees of Jesus’ day. Despite the 300 prophecies of Jesus first coming they could not make the connection that Jesus was their long-awaited Messiah. Likewise, despite there being 1800 O.T. and at least 200 N.T. prophecies of Jesus’ second coming to rescue Israel and establish His Millennial reign from a new Jerusalem, the Pope sides with Abbas pushing for a two-state solution. Moreover, he obviously has no concern for the Palestinian Christians.
“And the Lord has declared today that you are a people for His treasured possession, as He has promised you, and that you are to keep all His commandments, and thatHe will set you in praise and in fame and in honor high above all nations that He has made, and that you shall be a people holy to the Lord your God, as He promised.”Deuteronomy 26:18-19
Since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in 1994, the Palestinian Christian community under PA jurisdiction has dwindled. Palestinian Christians complain of Muslim land theft, harassment of Christian women, Christian businesses being forced to pay protection money and discriminatory taxes, and frequent robberies and vandalization of churches. Christians also face kidnapping and forced conversions. They also accuse the PA justice system of providing no legal recourse.
Pope Sides With Abbas Over Israel, Pushes for Palestinian State
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas visited the Vatican on Thursday where he had a private audience with Pope Francis.
A Vatican press release described the talks as “cordial” and called for renewed peace talks towards a two-state solution.
“With regard to the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians, it was stressed that it is absolutely necessary to reactivate direct dialogue in order to achieve a two-state solution, also with the help of more vigorous effort on the part of the international community,” the statement said.
“Lastly, it was reiterated that Jerusalem must be recognised by all as a place of encounter and not of conflict and that its status must preserve its identity and universal value as a Holy City for all three Abrahamic religions, also through a special internationally guaranteed status,” it added.
The Vatican recognized “The State of Palestine” in 2013. Later that year, Abbas made waves during a Christmas message when he insisted that Jesus was a Palestinian. While Israel criticized Abbas’ remarks, church officials were strangely silent.
Background on the two authors of this article: Ken Griffith is currently researching the Neolithic Era and its implications for biblical chronology.Darrell K. White has extensively researched the ancient chroniclers and found consistency with biblical chronology. He and Ken are now converting that research into a book called The Chronological Framework of Ancient History.
Article “Candidate site for Noah’s Ark, altar, and tomb” in the latest edition of the Journal of Creation, Volume 35, issue 3, 2021.
Karaca Dag lies very near the centre of the Prepottery Neolithic A (PPNA) culture sites and the wild ranges of the eight Neolithic founder crops. To this, we can add the first viticulture and the first domestication of dogs and pigs. The evidence that virtually every aspect of farming began on or near Karaca Dag strongly suggests this is the most likely Ark landing site.
While researching a Babel candidate site near Diyarbakir, Turkey, on 3 October 2019, they found a complex of sites on the mountain Karaca Dag that, upon further examination, seem to match the description of the landing site of Noah’s Ark, along with a tomb, possible altar, and much more. The tomb is a 60-m-square, rough stone mastaba, oriented to the winter solstice sunrise, with two extensions that make it into roughly a 160-m-long boat shape. The site is marked by six or more geoglyphs, situated along an arc 5 km distant on the northwest side of the mountain. The possible remains of the Ark appear to have had a modern school built on them, now collapsed.
We would expect to find the landing site of the Ark near the centre of the oldest post-diluvial distribution of humans and domesticated plants. The site presented in this paper lies upon a mountain between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers at the centre of the Pre‑Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) Culture.
This mountain, Karaca Dag, is where the genetic ancestor of all domesticated Einkorn wheat was found by the Max Planck Institute. The other seven founder crops of the Neolithic Revolution all have this mountain near the centre of their wild range. This was so exciting that even the LA Times remarked how unusual it is that all of the early agriculture crops appear to have been domesticated in the same location:
“The researchers reported that the wheat was first cultivated near the Karacadag Mountains in southeastern Turkey, where chickpeas and bitter vetch also originated. Bread wheat—the most valuable single crop in the modern world—grapes and olives were domesticated nearby, as were sheep, pigs, goats and cattle.”
If this site is what we suspect it to be, then the Ark itself has long ago rotted away, leaving nothing but a long patch of gravel ballast and perhaps some broken pottery. Coordinates: 37°42’45.76″N 39°49’57.68″E Upon the gravel patch a school for shepherd children was built in 1928, now collapsed.
The adjacent stone tomb appears unscathed. Further away on the slopes of the mountain several geoglyphs mark the site. Two of them appear to contain writing in an unknown script.
In addition to the geoglyphs, there is evidence of ancient human habitation, farming, roads, and terraces on both ends of the mountain, 10 km north and south of the tomb and Ark site.
We will also review evidence that the site was desecrated in ancient times, making us less surprised to see recent desecrations.
Criteria
Ark searchers have claimed to find petrified wood or a frozen, intact wooden structure above the permanent snowline. Unless it landed at an elevation above 3,000 m, we expect any wood to have rotted away long ago.
Low-value imperishable materials might survive. Considering that the Ark carried a large cargo of relatively low-density foodstuff such as hay, it seems likely that it would have required ballast to ride low enough in the water. Any ballast is likely to still be there in the footprint of the vessel. We would expect to find a foreign patch of gravel, sand, or stones.
Food stores in the Ark must have been placed in rodent-resistant vessels. Therefore, we should expect to find fragments of broken vessels.
Noah built an altar nearby. Earth and stone are the only known materials for an altar for animal sacrifice (Exodus 20:24–25). The altar should have survived in some form unless it was destroyed by religious vandalism.
Extrabiblical sources inform us that Noah was buried on top of the mountain near the Ark. St Ephraim lived in both Amida (Diyarbakir) and Edessa (Sanliurfa), adjacent to Karaca Dag. He said that Noah’s tomb was near the Ark site. Hippolytus recorded the tradition that Noah brought the bones of the pre-Flood patriarchs in the Ark and reburied them after the Flood.
Other probable criteria:
Region of ‘RRT’ (Urartu, Ararat, Aratta)
Mashu or Masis (names of Ararat in Sumer and Armenia)
Villages on the mountain top
East-west axis to the site of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11)
Nearby tombs of Noah and/or Pre-Flood Patriarchs
Finding the right mountain
We analyzed the traditions of the church fathers, Midrash, Book of Jubilees, and other historical sources for the Ark, with gratitude to Bill Crouse who did an excellent job compiling those sources in order to justify Mt Judi as the Ark site. For this comparison, we used the following pairings of Ark and Babel sites: Ararat-Babylon, Durupinar-Babylon, Judi-Tel Brak, Karacadag-Çinar. Table 1 compares proposed Ark sites using these criteria. For each of 35 claimed facts, one point was awarded for a strong positive, one-half point for a weak positive, and zero points for a negative.
LIVING ETERNAL NOW 