PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS ESCALATES AS JESUS RETURN DRAWS NEAR

Hamas terror attacks on Israel have inflamed Islamic extremist sentiment against Christ followers, said an official with a Swiss-based aid agency.

“Since Oct. 7, 2023, the whole Middle East is on intense fire and might explode any time,” said the official, whose identity is withheld for security purposes. “It seems that all political, social, and human rights achievements in the direction of a possible reconciliation between major foes — Saudi-Iran, or the Israel-Arab world — are now very far away. This of course has direct implications for our persecuted brothers and sisters as they are the most vulnerable and often blamed as being enemies of [the] state.”

The historical suffering of Christians who have converted from Islam in the region has reached a new level, he said. “All accomplished liberal thinking and religious tolerance in the Middle East are now departing, leaving the battleground for fanatism and Islamic radicalization to take over,” the official said.

His agency recently provided aid to a leader of a group of converts from Islam in the Palestinian West Bank. The leader is from a prominent Muslim family, and his sister’s husband, a member of the extremist Salafi branch of Islam, recently discovered he had become a follower of Christ and reported him as an “unbeliever” to his relatives. The leader’s prominent Muslim father threw him and his family out of their house. “He then had to flee and hide with his wife and son in a secret place for his security as the whole situation around Oct. 7th got heated up, and people became more radical,” the official said. “With the funds we received, we helped him to rent a hide-out apartment, and provided some living expenses for his family.”

Tensions have long hit Egypt’s borders. Israel’s military campaign against Hamas has divided opinion among church members in Egypt who are also pining under the devaluation of their currency and rising prices. Atop these difficulties, persecution remains the main challenge for Muslim-background believers like Sara (name changed) — an educated person who loves reading and research. When she; began seeking answers about Islam from her husband and some Islamic experts, they couldn’t give her satisfying answers.

“It is considered blasphemy to ask certain questions, and so her husband and other people around her reacted alertly,” the aid agency official said. “However, Sara felt a strong urge to find the truth and continued asking questions.” She began reading Christian books until she concluded that she wanted to follow Christ, he said. “Her husband discovered a change in her and argued with her until he found out that she became a Christian,” he said. “Sara was pregnant at that time. Her husband beat her so badly that she had to be hospitalized and lost her baby.” When she was able to return home, her husband reported her to police. Sara was imprisoned on false charges.

“After some years she was released but was still punished with having to go to the police station every week, where she had to clean the toilets and sit there for hours,” the worker said. “Our local partner heard of her situation and helped her legally. He also helped Sara to find a safe place to stay and a new place to work.”

Persecuted Christians are receiving both aid and spiritual care to strengthen their faith in the face of suffering. In Africa, the Islamic extremist terrorism in Nigeria that has displaced both Muslims and Christians for more than a decade drove one woman’s family to a camp for the internally displaced, where she came to faith in Christ under the teaching of the Swiss agency’s aid partner. The suffering she endured in four years of living in and out of the camp had left her cynical and prone to lying and cheating, the official said. “There was no visible change in her behavior — it required a lot of patience, love and wisdom from our partner and her team, and it was a lot of work for her, but over time she grew out of her bad habits,” the worker said. “Through the teachings, the Bible study, the coaching and prayer, she experienced the love of God and discovered what it means to follow Jesus.” She opened her heart so the Lord could transform and heal her, Sara said. “God has given me the biggest gift of my life,” she told aid workers. “He removed me from darkness to light, from nobody to becoming somebody.”

In Laos, village authorities opposed to ten families leaving their ancestral religion for Christ recently drove them out of the community into the wilderness. They were left about 8 miles away, without homes, farmland, food, and schooling for their children. “We worked closely with the local church to help them to find land for these 10 families to build a simple house to live in, and our team helped them to build the well for them to have water to drink, and a tile roof for their house,” the aid official said. “We continue to work with the local church to have worship every Sunday in their house church, and we provide continuous support for their livelihood development.”

The increase in the level of antisemitism around the world since Hamas attacked Israel makes no earthly sense and proves Scripture’s revelation that it is spiritual warfare and that we are living in the last days before Jesus returns to restore righteousness and usher in His Millennial Kingdom.

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

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

Much of this post was originally published at Christian Daily International 

MOST COST EFFECTIVE DISPATCHABLE BASELOAD ELECTRICITY

For developing economies, the availability of cost-effective, dispatchable baseload electricity is crucial for the growth of electricity-intensive industries that can drive economic progress and improve living standards. This is mandatory considering the amount of electricity needed for the latest technologies: AI, Blockchain, Quantum Computing, Data Centres etc.

This underscores the need to address the proverbial elephant in the room without the ideological haze of international climate agreements or theoretical doomsday hypotheses. Here and now, there is a real need to apply pragmatism and do what is sensible for a reliable electricity supply.

Older power plants should be refurbished in the interim to maintain supply stability. Investment in unreliable and unproven renewable electricity sources should be reconsidered, as they are ill-suited to meeting developing country’s long-term economic demands, particularly in the mining, manufacturing, and agricultural sectors. Furthermore, over-reliance on imported refined products could jeopardize developing country’s energy sovereignty and exacerbate balance of payments issues. 

The future of electricity in developing countries needs to focus on efficient and effective technologies. These are Nuclear and High-Efficiency, Low-Emissions (HELE) coal-fired, and natural gas power stations.

Electricity in developing countries such as South Africa is a major necessity for business and associated development and is required for future economic growth. 

Nuclear and HELE coal and gas represent the most viable options for providing the reliable, dispatchable baseload electricity needed to support the country’s industrial and economic development. Governments must focus on repairing the damage to investor confidence caused by ongoing electricity disruptions and ensure the introduction of adequate, competitively priced electricity supplies to sustain future growth.

Biblical prophecy indicates we are fast approaching the end of Satan’s rule over Earth and Jesus ushering in His Millennial Kingdom. The nation God established for His purposes, Israel with its Messiah, Jesus Christ, will finally rule the nations of the world.

No doubt we will be using Nuclear technology during this time. We are currently using nuclear fission but perhaps then we will use nuclear fusion which is capable of releasing much greater energy than nuclear fission.

The Bible gives us a lot of information about what is next on God’s agenda for planet Earth when Jesus and the glorified Saints will be ruling the nations with a rod of iron. Jesus Millennial Kingdom is a transition period prior to the second resurrection and Jesus White Throne judgement of believers that have died during Jesus Millennial reign and all unbelievers. It is only at the end of Jesus Millennial reign will this Cosmos be destroyed and God creates a new heaven and new Earth where only the righteous will dwell.

Check out http://www.millennialkingdom.net to prepare for what is next on God’s agenda for planet Earth.

PARADIGMS OF ORIGINS

The design of the DNA of a simple cell is much more complex than we see in the development of the latest supercomputers. How do we explain that simple fact with the evolution paradigm? It is impossible. The Genesis paradigm is the only one that can explain the evidence.

Philosopher of Science, Paul Nelson compares the way a supercomputer works, compared to a bacterial cell, and then explores the countless things any paradigm of origins must necessarily explain. After Dr. Paul Nelson received his BA in philosophy with a minor in evolutionary biology from the University of Pittsburgh, he entered the University of Chicago, where he received his PhD (1998) in the philosophy of biology and evolutionary theory. He is a philosopher of biology who has been involved in the intelligent design debate internationally for over two decades.

TURKEY INTENT ON REESTBLISHING ITS OTTOMAN EMPIRE

Turkey just delivered a major blow to Russia, putting Putin in a tight spot over Crimea and shifting the balance in the Black Sea region. Erdogan’s recent call for Crimea’s return to Ukraine is a strategic move, one Putin didn’t see coming. This isn’t just about land—control of Crimea is crucial for dominance in the Black Sea. With a long history of rivalry and Erdogan’s assertive neo-Ottoman vision, Turkey is challenging Russia like never before. Will Erdogan’s power play pay off?

A significant Biblical end-times prophecy is that Turkey (the Goat of Daniel 8) will be successful in re-establishing a revived Ottoman Empire but only for a short period and then it will be broken into four nations. My guess is that it will be the United Nations that will not countenance a revived Ottoman Empire that they do not control so it breaks it up into four nations.

Then the goat 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.
Daniel 8:8-9

Before the above, we are yet to see in Biblical prophecy Turkey (Sunni) putting down Iran (Shia, the Ram of Daniel 8). Iran is already doing what Biblical prophecy says it will do push westward, northward, and southward with its proxies Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, and groups Iraq, Syria, and Bahrain. So next in Biblical prophecy is Turkey exerting its dominance in the Muslim world by putting down Iran.

I saw the ram (Iran) charging westward and northward and southward. No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power.” Daniel 8:4

And the goat (Turkey) 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… And the ram had no power to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him. Daniel 8: 5-7

It is out of one of these four nations that the little Horn (Antichrist) arises. “Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land.” Daniel 8:9

We can use these prophecies to evangelize (apocalyptic evangelism). God has revealed these future events so that we know He is in control but also to use this information to bring others to a knowledge of Him and the truth.

WHAT TRUMP’S WIN MEANS FOR CHRISTIANS

Ray Comfort of Living Waters (http://www.livingwaters.com) makes it clear to Christians that Trump’s win is not going to save anyone only preaching the Gospel, as Jesus commanded us to do, will save people from God’s judgement.

Trump is not going to turn back the clock and restore Judaeo-Christian values. Jesus and in fact even the O.T prophets particularly Daniel make it clear that Jews and Christians are going to experience intense persecution, tribulation, and great tribulation in the time up to Jesus second coming to Earth to defeat the Antichrist army in the battle of Armageddon and usher in His Millennial Kingdom.

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

ANOTHER PROPHESIED BIBLICAL END TIMES SIGN: IRAN AND ISRAEL AT WAR

Shortly before 2 am in Israel on Saturday, October 26th, airmen and women wearing bomber jackets bearing the Star of David climbed into the cockpits of about 100 jet fighters, spy planes, and refueling aircraft at an Israeli military base. They were following commands from an underground bunker known as the pit.

Israel’s wartime leaders, who were gathered in the bowels of the military headquarters in Tel Aviv, had just given the green light for the largest attack against Iran in Israel’s history — and its most politically perilous. They called the operation “Days of Repentance”. The assault was calibrated to punish Iran for an attack on Israel but aimed to avoid setting off a full-scale war between the two foes involving American forces and other countries in the region. The attack steered clear of the oil and nuclear facilities that Iran had warned would prompt retaliation, and appeared to heed the caution urged by US officials.

The attack, however, marked a dangerous new phase of confrontation between Israel and Iran, which began striking each other directly earlier this year. It left Iran even more exposed to further air attacks, with Israel destroying several of the country’s Russian-made S-300 radar defence batteries, according to an Israeli official.

An Israeli official said, “The message is that we don’t want an escalation but if Iran decides to escalate and attack Israel again, this means that we have increased our range of freedom of movement in the Iranian skies,”

Iran “knew that Israel was coming, and still, they couldn’t prevent anything,” said Assaf Orion, a retired Israeli brigadier general.

This attack fulfills Biblical end-times prophecies of Israel being the centre of the world’s attention, antisemitism rampant, and all of its surrounding nations intent on its destruction. Prior to 1948 Israel as a nation did not exist. Its miraculous rebirth was the first and most significant of end times prophecies that would signal Jesus return to rescue God’s nation from destruction. We need to be watchful as we may have entered the last seven years (see post my Oct 17th, Where is Iran in Biblical Prophecy) before that happens.

TRUMP WAS GIVEN THIS PROPHETIC MESSAGE ONE WEEK BEFORE THE ELECTION

You need to see Jonathan Chan’s message delivered to Trump just one week before the election. It must have shaken Trump to hear Cahn talk about him being God’s chosen person for this moment in history and that even his birth date was proof he was God’s Jehu to restore righteousness to America. The message is delivered with such conviction it shook me.

As well, Jonathan Cahn speaks about the greatest comeback in American political history – Donald Trump winning the presidential election and what it all means. What is this prophetic moment and what will we need to do in the days to come?

Only God can save America, unless we see a revival America will continue down the road of judgement. Will Donald Trump complete God’s agenda for him? Jonathan Cahn had an amazing opportunity to deliver a prophetic message directly to Trump. He shows powerfully, from Scripture that Trump is God’s Jehu. God used Jehu to cleanse the swamp during the reign of King Ahab and Jezebel. Likewise, God is using Trump to cleanse the leadership swamp in America. We need to increase our prayers for Donald Trump so that he will complete God’s commission. Sadly, Jehu did not.

But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel to sin.2 Kings 10:31

WILL THE CHURCH IN AMERICA RESPOND TO THE OPPORTUNITY GOD HAS PROVIDED WITH THE TRUMP ELECTION VICTORY?

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil... that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. .” Ephesians 6:10-20

Ephesians 6 explains the spiritual battle that we are in and it urges us to put on the full armour of the Lord and then to stand. So the battle is never done this side of heaven. We have to continue to perpetually stand for the truth. The church in America has in the main compromised with the world just as Jesus said it would in the last days before He returns to Earth.

As a result of Trump’s remarkable win in the 2024 Presidential Election U.S.A. God has allowed the church time to put the country back on the right track. As Family Research Council’s (FRC) Mary Szoch said after voters knocked off three radical pro-abortion ballot initiatives, this is the opening believers have been waiting for. On Tuesday, “Americans … re-elected the most pro-life president in the history of America,” she emphasized. “Now is the time for us to work together to promote strong, faith-filled marriages, strengthen families, and create a society that values every single person from the moment they come into existence. The opportunity to build a culture of life in America is great, and we cannot waste it.”

We also need to remember, Hibbs said on Pray Vote Stand: Decision 2024, “The church needs a revival. We will still wake up tomorrow knowing that the church needs to turn back to Scripture — and pulpits … [need to address] through the Scripture the issues that shape our congregants and their life, their worldview. And so, we need a revival. We pray that this election is a little part of that, but the bottom line is the answer. Are God’s people stepping up? Are God’s people getting involved?”

Another thing Christians need to realize, former Congresswoman Michele Bachmann said, is that “we have a lot to be grateful for.” The Trump campaign is in a “good place,” she acknowledged, “[but that’s] in the natural. I felt like the Lord was saying to me early on in this campaign that this [race] won’t be won in the natural, it will be won in the supernatural. And I truly believe that we need to just keep leaning in [with] prayer and what we’re [doing]. Where Scripture has taken me this week is [to Exodus] where Moses is standing when the Israelites are battling with the Amalekites — and then Hur and Aaron are holding up Moses’s arms — all while Joshua was on the field at the battle. And so it’s both: it’s prayer, and it’s action.”

When the church does both, she explained, “then we see victory.” “… But we can never, ever take it for granted.” The reality is, Michele pointed out, “Four years is going to go fast. And again, we only have two years until the next midterm, so … we’ve got to get to work. … It’s like there was a party and the furniture is all broken and the drapes are torn down from the windows, and we’ve got to get America’s house back in order fast and do what the American public believes that Donald Trump and a Republican Senate and a Republican House can do.”

That takes work, it takes commitment, and it takes an army of men and women determined to pay the price to speak up — and stand up. Whatever happens from here, Tony Perkins (FRC) urged, “Election 2024 must not be the finish line for Christians in America; I pray it is a starting point. It’s time for the church to arise. Our hurting nation needs a revival that only God can provide.”

As I said in my last post Donald Trump will not make America great again. Unless God brings revival to America and the nation gets on its knees to repent of all its abominable sins: abortion, gay marriage, homosexuality, transgenderism, etc. God will not lift the judgment that America is already under. Sadly, I just do not believe Scripture shows that this will happen. We are already in the Biblical prophesied end times many of the Biblical prophesied end times signs have already manifested and persecution of Christians will only intensify.

Much of this post has been extracted from an article by Suzanne Bowdey, Trump’s Win ‘Isn’t the Finish Line – It’s the Starting Point’, She serves as editorial director and senior writer at The Washington Stand.

LAST DAYS CHURCHES LIKE THE EARLY CHURCHES DESCIBED IN THE BOOK OF ACTS

After spending over a year in jail in America on trumped-up charges, Torben Sondergaard is now transforming churches in Mexico. God used the time Torben spent in jail to transform him and to birth his book: 412 Days: Persecuted for Christ. It’s coming are you ready? Torben also transformed the lives of many prisoners.

From the depths of a small cell in B6N, Torben Sondergaard takes us on a riveting journey through his unimaginable challenges. As events unfold, he reveals the circumstances that led him to this small cell and the intense experiences that followed.

It is a unique book, penned with a security pen on paper within the walls of a small cell in a Florida prison. Accusations of weapons smuggling and human trafficking were thrown around, yet no formal charges were made. In these pages, Torben shares his real-life experiences as they occurred-from moments of deep despair to unexpected joy, recognizing God’s hand even in his darkest hour. From the cry of “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” to the revival that transformed the entire pod where he was incarcerated, Torben reveals the divine revelations that sustained him and the truths God imparted to him, to prepare us all for what lies ahead.

This book is not just an extraordinary story; it is a prophetic message for all of us. It warns us of the Biblical prophesied end-times persecution to come. It speaks of God’s kingdom and provides the strength to stand firm when the storms hit.

As you embark on this journey, you will be drawn back to the raw and authentic Christianity of the early apostles, who, like Torben, wrote from jail to encourage the faithful to keep running the race, no matter the cost.

DONALD TRUMP WON’T MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN

Please take a look at my post on October 21st, Kamala Does Not Have a Chance of Winning. In my spirit, I knew God would give America one more chance and now we know He has.

“We can’t squander this moment,” former Congressman Jody Hice said emotionally. “Underneath all of this, God is giving America a window of mercy. This has to be a moment when the body of Christ responds with gratitude and repentance. We cannot throw away this time of grace that God has given us.” Yes, there were tremendous victories that took place, he acknowledged, “but may we respond humbly and steward this moment appropriately going forward — and in greater reliance upon Him.”

From my viewpoint, the rhetoric from Trump last night when he declared victory for himself and the Republican Party shows he will not do the one thing that is necessary for God to lift judgment off the land. Trump needs to tell the American people that he and the nation need to get on their knees and repent of their abominable sins. Abortion, homosexuality, gay marriage, transgenderism are all an abomination to God and need to cease. Trump is pragmatic so we know that this will not happen. For example, at the Republican Party Primaries, Trump had already compromised his position on abortion.

Fortunately, God has told us how this era will end. So many of the Biblical end-times prophecies have already occurred. Persecution of Christians will increase as we enter the last seven years before Jesus returns to usher in His Millennial Kingdom.

I will do my best to keep you informed of where we are in the last days according to Bible prophecy.