Israel Tests New Defense System as United States Moves Sub into Region

Israel’s defense ministry reported that it has successfully tested for the first time a wide range of sea-based aerial defense systems. The tests took place in the past few weeks, with targets fired from sea-borne launchers, imitating various range missiles and drones. All were intercepted successfully by Israel’s multi-tier defense systems – Iron dome, Arrow, and David’s Sling, at times simultaneously.

 Head of the Israel Missile Defense Organization in the Ministry of Defense, Moshe Patel said “through these tests, we demonstrated that the State of Israel has a robust, multilayered capability to face various threats – cruise missiles, UAVs [Unmanned Aerial Vehicles] and ballistic threats.”

 The tests were led by Rafael Advanced Systems from a testing site in central Israel, with the Israel Air Force and Navy's participation. According to the Israeli defense ministry, this successful series is a critical milestone in the augmentation of Israel's operational capabilities in defending itself against current and future threats.

 “Israel is safer now, after the accomplishment of the recent test,” said Executive Vice President and Head of Rafael's Air and Missile Defense Division, Brig. Gen. (Res.) Pini Yungman. “The capability that was demonstrated in this series of tests ensures the security of the State of Israel and its ability to contend with current and future threats." This indicates that the systems will be capable of intercepting threats simultaneously during conflict.

 Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz commended the successful test. “This is one of the most advanced air defense mechanisms in the world and it protects the state from threats near and far. The systems in this multilayered mechanism provide Israel with a top tier strategic capability, enabling us to operate effectively in every scenario,” he said, in a statement. “I would also like to thank our partners in the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Missile Defense Agency, U.S. government, and U.S. Congress, which support the State of Israel in the development of these systems and aid us in ensuring Israel's security and operational superiority.”

 Meanwhile, the guided-missile submarine USS Georgia entered the Persian Gulf in America’s latest deterrence mission against Iran. The submarine – which is armed with up to 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles and a dry deck shelter for Navy SEALs – was escorted by cruisers Port Royal and Philippine Sea. It is the first time in eight years the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet has publicly announced that one of its guided-missile submarines has transited the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Persian Gulf – and the maneuver follows recent flights of nuclear-capable Air Force bombers to the region.

 The show of force by the U.S. military also comes after the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad was attacked by a barrage of rockets that caused "minor damage" to the sprawling diplomatic compound, but no was left injured. It was the first rocket attack on the embassy in over a month and comes as the one-year anniversary of the U.S. killing of Iran’s most powerful general, Qasem Soleimani, looms. The rocket attacks are blamed on Iranian-backed proxy fighters inside Iraq. 

 Soleimani was killed minutes after arriving in Baghdad by an American drone orbiting over the airport on Jan. 3. Iran responded by launching ballistic missiles against U.S. forces inside Iraq days later.

 Officials say the latest submarine and warship movements into the Persian Gulf were "long planned" as the anniversary of the killing of Soleimani approaches and not in response to the embassy attack. The aircraft carrier Nimitz remains on station outside the Persian Gulf in the Arabian Sea nearby.

 Israel’s new defense network, which will help to protect the nation both from east and from the Mediterranean Sea in the west as well as the continued and now heightened presence of US military in the region will continue to put pressure on those in Iran who want to see the destruction of Israel and the elimination of all US military presence in the region.  

Pray- Pray that the new administration in the United States will continue to provide support for Israel in the region and that Israel will continue to be blessed with technology that enables them to defend against their enemies in the region.

Troubling Days Ahead?

The battle for America is being waged in our public life. The Bible warns us that: 

“…in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God,” Timothy 3:1-4.

We are about to face an onslaught as never before against the beliefs and values of Christianity in America. What kind of nation does God really expect us to be? What is He calling us to do in these crucial days in the battle for America? I remind you of the words of the Prophet Micah, who said:

 “He hath shown thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Micah 6:8.

America is doing anything and everything but that these days. It is a far cry from September 6, 1774, when the Continental Congress opened with the reading of Psalm 35 and three hours of prayer, as they met to discuss the fate of the thirteen colonies that would become the United States of America.

 We’ve come so far that just a few days ago, Congress opened with a prayer led by Representative Emanuel Cleaver, a Missouri Democrat, in which he prayed to a monotheistic god. Cleaver ended his prayer to “god known by many names by many different faiths. Amen and a-woman.” Amen is a Latin word meaning “so be it” and does not refer to gender. A-woman does not mean anything!

 The very basis for the colonists to rebel and to establish their own independent nation was expressed as the authority of God Himself. The Constitution, ratified in 1789, mentions God. It affirms the Deity of Jesus Christ. And it is signed “in the year of our Lord.” By modern definition, the Constitution would be unconstitutional! 

The whole emphasis of the structure of the United States is based on an awareness of the reality of the Person of God. We need to come back to moral and spiritual sanity, and to the Biblical foundation of what America is all about and recognize that this indeed is one nation under God, to the glory of God.

We realize that ultimately, the promise of blessing is to be the saved. But God will bless a nation that is willing to acknowledge Him. The Bible says very clearly: 

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord…,” Psalm 33:12.  

As America gets further and further away from God, the heart and soul of America becomes more and more decadent than ever before. We are living in days of anarchy, chaos, and confusion. Now is not the time to give up, to throw in the towel. No, we must pray for our country and allow the light and love of Christ to shine through us to a very dark world. Let us do justice, show mercy, and walk humbly with our Lord.

2021: Where Do We Go from Here?

The New Year often brings new hopes, dreams and aspirations. We celebrate on New Year’s with fireworks, make new resolutions on how the new year will be different and spend time with our loved ones. 2020 is certainly a year most Christians would like to put behind them. Pandemic fears, political divides, and social unrest have left many exhausted and exasperated. Many have been isolated in their homes for months and even when we can leave, we have to do so in fear and behind a mask. The New Year seems anything but hopeful. It has definitely not been a normal year or a normal New Year.

America is more divided than it has ever been. Columnist Cal Thomas has called us a “bipolar nation.” Divisive labels abound everywhere-conservative/liberals, right wing/left wing, extremist/ socialists. Basic issues like the sanctity of life, dignity of marriage and freedom of religion are hotly contested. Many of the ideas and values that were once viewed as common practices in our culture are now being assaulted and many of the vices of our culture are now being praised and promoted. Many Americans feel like Lot “sitting in the gate of Sodom waiting for judgment to fall” (Genesis 19:1-14)!

The Psalmist asked: “if the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? (11:3). Then, he responded: “The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven” (11:4). At the end of a difficult year and facing the uncertain challenges of the year ahead, we need to remember God is still on the throne of the universe.

It was at an uncertain time when King Uzziah died, that the prophet Isaiah said: “I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up” (6:1). All too often believers lose their focus on the sovereign power of God. We put our focus on who is in the White House, the state house or the court house, but forget about who is sitting on the Heavenly throne. The prophet Daniel said: “the most High rules over the Kingdom of men and gives it to whomsoever he will” (4:17). No matter who is in charge of the earthly kingdoms of men, God is still in charge. He allows for man to rule in a limited sense, but also holds man accountable for that rule as the sovereign Lord of the universe.

When Jesus commissioned His followers to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19), they were living in a hostile environment of pagan unbelief and religious prejudice. Despite these obstacles, Jesus boldly predicted: “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). God the Father is still on the throne and God the Son is seated at His right hand and God the Holy Spirit is still actively convicting the world of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8).

As the year 2021 begins, I am more convinced than ever that God is at work! I am celebrating my twentieth year as the Bible teacher on The King is Coming telecast. Thanks to friends and prophetic partners like you, we have been able to spread the Gospel to the world with over 1,000 telecasts in these 20 years.

I am committed to keep on preaching until the trumpet sounds and the Lord calls us home to be with Him. Please stand with me. The world needs our message now more than ever before. Time may be running out for America and the world. The time to act is now! Let me hear from you today.

Jupiter and Saturn: The Christmas “Kiss”

During this year’s winter solstice, on December 21, Jupiter and Saturn will look like one brilliant star. Called a conjunction by astronomers, the two largest planets in our solar system will align just in time for Christmas. It has been since the Middle Ages when these planets were so close. Dr. Brad Tucker, an astronomer from the Australian National University, called it the Christmas “kiss.”

 Patrick Hartigan, Rice University astronomer and professor of physics and astronomy, wrote: “Alignments between these two planets are rather rare, occurring once every 20 years or so, but this conjunction is exceptionally rare because of how close the planets will appear to one another. You’d have to go all the way back to just before dawn on March 4, 1226, to see a closer alignment between these objects visible in the night sky.”

 On a clear night, you can already see the planets inching closer to one another. Between December 16 and 25, look to the western sky about an hour after sunset. However, on December 21, Tucker says to look for “a thin crescent moon and two bright objects right next to it.”

 How does this relate to the Star of Bethlehem?

 When the Wise Men came to Jerusalem, they asked:

 “… Where is he that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him,” Matthew 2:2.

 The appearance of this star is the fulfillment of a prophecy in the Old Testament made by Balaam, an apostate prophet who was forced to speak as the Lord commanded him. He said:

 “I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel…,” Numbers 24:17.

 In other words, in the distant future (from the prophet’s standpoint), a ruler will come from Israel, and His arrival will be signaled by the appearance of a star. Jesus’ birth fulfilled this prophecy. 

When the Wise Men indicated they had seen this star “in the east,” this phrase came from a Greek word meaning “in the rising.” This word refers to the visibility of a star or a planet on the horizon just before the sun rises or after it sets. 

Over the years, many have speculated about the identity of this star. Some have suggested it could have been a comet (a moving body with a long, luminous tail) or a nova or super nova (a flaring or exploding star). There is no evidence that anyone, but these Wise Men, had noticed it or given it any consideration, so these possibilities are somewhat lacking in credibility. 

What is more possible is a planetary conjunction – the alignment of two or more planets, or of a planet and a star. This would have produced the appearance of a body somewhat brighter than normal, but not as intense as a comet or nova. Only those skilled in astronomy, as the Wise Men probably were, would have noticed it. 

We know Jesus must have been born no later than 4 BC, because that is the year in which King Herod died. Herod obviously had his interaction with the Wise Men before then and responded by the slaughter of the innocent children of Bethlehem, also a fulfillment of prophecy (Matthew 2:16-18). 

Although the dates cannot be verified precisely, it is interesting that astronomers have determined there were three conjunctions of the planet Jupiter and the star Regulus in the first few years BC, and a conjunction of the planets Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, and Venus in the same time frame. It is possible it is one of these phenomena the Wise Men observed. 

We cannot dispute the miraculous. It is quite possible God made a special star visible for a time, prompting the Wise Men’s interest and response. They were obviously familiar with the Hebrew Scripture foretelling of this star, and, though their journey was long, they responded by being among the first Gentile worshippers of the King of the Jews. 

There is just one week until Christmas. During this time, may we pause and reflect on the prophecies foretold and the prophecies fulfilled by Christ’s birth. If the sky is clear where you live, try to view the Christmas “kiss”, the planetary alignment of Jupitar and Saturn on December 21.

Is the Coronavirus a plague of the Tribulation? Is a Vaccine the Mark of the Beast?

While the coronavirus has ravaged much of the planet, causing widespread death and disease and crippling economic shutdowns, some have asked the question, “Is the virus a plague of the Tribulation?” Some have even tried to tie it to the 3rd and 4th horseman of the apocalypse.  While the pandemic certainly has had horrific effects, it is not unique to this generation.

 The world has survived numerous plagues including the Plague of Justinian of 541-542 (killing 30-50 million people); the Black Death of 1347-1351 (killing as many as 200 million people); the New World smallpox outbreak of 1520 (killing 56 million); the Third Plague of 1885 through the 1950s (killing 12-15 million); the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-1920 (killing 40-50 million); and the emergence of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the late 1970s (killing 25-35 million).  

 While it is common to reference plagues as proof of prophetic fulfillment in present times, the truth is, pandemics have been occurring throughout the course of human history. None can deny the devastation of the plagues and pandemics throughout history; however, they pale in comparison to those of the Tribulation period. No plague throughout history has any comparison to the type of magnitude of devastation that will occur in the future. The Tribulation plagues will be somewhat similar to the plagues that God rained down on Egypt during the Exodus event, but with a much stronger impact and a global emphasis instead of a limited national focus.

 Nevertheless, some might wonder if the Mark of the Beast will arise from a coronavirus vaccine. Several reasons can be given as to why a coronavirus vaccine is not the Mark of the Beast. First, the Antichrist is not on the scene. The Mark of the Beast is a demonstration of allegiance to the Antichrist. However, the Antichrist will not be revealed until after the Rapture of the church (2 Thess. 2). Thus, the vaccine cannot be a mark of allegiance to a figure who has yet to be revealed and church age believers do not have to worry about taking the Mark of the Beast. 

 Second, receiving the Mark of the Beast during the Tribulation period will be the deliberate rejection of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and cannot be received accidentally (Rev. 13:12). It is a seal that ultimately aligns the person with the worship of the Antichrist and Satan himself. God would not allow someone to align themselves with Satan in some type of accidentally occurrence. Instead, receiving the Mark of the Beast will be clearly seen as aligning one’s self with satanic forces. Receiving the coronavirus vaccine is not choosing to identify with or worship the beast, but is intended to save lives. Finally, many people, especially in the Western World, have already received other vaccines in their lifetime. For example, the smallpox vaccine, the polio vaccine, the chickenpox vaccine or even the common flu shot are commonly distributed. In a study published by AIMS Public Health, researchers estimate that more than 450,000 lives have been saved by virus vaccines, and 200 million people have been prevented from contracting possibly deadly diseases.  

 The coronavirus, while significant in our time, is but a glimpse of the type of world devastation that will occur in the Tribulation period. While we as Christians can take comfort in knowing that we will not have to endure this type of devastation, it should also motivate us to witness to others so that they too can avoid this time of Tribulation if Christ chooses to return soon.

 PRAY: Now is the time for salvation! Pray for the Gospel to be spread far and wide and for unbelievers to have ears to hear and receive God’s saving grace.

New Zealand to Legalize Euthanasia

New Zealand will be the latest country to legalize the practice of euthanasia as a result of a nationwide referendum. The decision about whether to allow those who are terminally ill with six months or less to live to end their lives was put before voters in a general election ballot, alongside a question about whether cannabis use ought to also be legalized. The cannabis question was not approved.

 The referendum passed easily, as preliminary figures released show that 65.2% approve the measure and 33.8% voted "no" on the End of Life Choice Act, which the New Zealand parliament passed last year. The new policy will go into effect in one year. Under the measure, those suffering will need two doctors to sign off on the decision to end their lives.

 Polling in the South Pacific island nation has indicated broad support, reportedly hovering around 60% to 70% across the spectrum. Those who support the measure include the country's current prime minister, Jacinda Ardern of the Labour Party, and opposition leader, Judith Collins of the New Zealand National Party.

 With the approval of the referendum, New Zealand will join six other countries that have legally allowed euthanasia. Other nations that have legalized the practice include Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Canada and Colombia. Euthanasia campaigners hailed the result as a human rights victory, arguing that it was compassionate to allow people in unbearable pain to end their lives.

 “People continue to suffer in ways that are traumatic. I don’t want to have to suffer on to adhere to the morality of someone else. They’ve got their own body if they want to have a ghastly death,” said David Seymour, a member of the New Zealand Parliament who sponsored the legislation. More common than euthanasia is doctor-assisted suicide, which is permitted in additional nations, including in several U.S. states and the Australian state of Victoria.

 Wesley J. Smith, a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute's Center on Human Exceptionalism, noted the state of secular progressivism that runs strong in New Zealand politics. One of New Zealand's rivers was declared a "rights-bearing entity" and the nation also adopted one of the most stringent coronavirus shutdowns in the world, he continued.

 "These are all symptoms of a civilizational disease. When human exceptionalism is discarded, the intrinsic value of human life becomes relativized and 'eliminating suffering' becomes the prime directive," Smith explained. "If that means letting doctors eliminate sufferers, so be it. If it means sacrificing freedom on the altar of security, so be it."

 According to the NZ Herald, Salvation Army territorial commander Mark Campbell expressed concern that many are not knowledgeable of the harms. "We believe many New Zealanders are unaware of the lack of safeguards contained within the End of Life Choice Act and that vulnerable people, such as the elderly and those struggling with mental illness, will be especially at risk from this law," he said.

 "The Salvation Army calls on the Government to increase funding to enable more people to access New Zealand's world-renowned palliative care system. We believe that, with adequate access to high-quality end-of-life care, vulnerable people can be supported through their illness and dying, and will not feel pressured into euthanasia."

 This is another example of the push by progressives to devalue human life throughout the world. Both the push for unlimited abortion and euthanasia are attempts to denigrate the value of human life that God clearly established in the early chapters of Genesis. As Christians, we need to fight against any political effort to take innocent life.

 Pray- Pray that this continued progressive push to devalue human life will be reversed and stopped throughout the world.

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Colossians 2:6-7

One of the main issues in discussing Thanksgiving is the One to whom thanks should be given, and that, of course, is God.

Looking back to the first American celebration of Thanksgiving, we know that the Plymouth colonists landed in the late fall of 1620, just before the dead of winter. Not able to plant, most of them stayed aboard their ship, the Mayflower, though the winter, where about half of them died from exposure or disease.

When the survivors emerged in the spring, a bilingual Native American by the name of Squanto aided the colonists by showing them how to cultivate crops, hunt, fish, and avoid danger in their new environment. The Pilgrims’ first harvest was a success, and the result was a three-day celebration of thanks in November 1621, in which they invited their new Native American friends who had helped them so graciously.

However, the Pilgrims knew that in spite of their hardships the previous year, it was ultimately God who had provided them a new home in the New World. Had they landed a few miles away either north or south, they may have missed their encounter with Squanto, had a disastrous first crop, and all perished. But God’s provision had sustained them.

From its inception as a nation, the United States recognized that its blessings come from God. George Washington called upon Americans to celebrate Thanksgiving in 1789, in gratitude for a successful conclusion of the Revolutionary War and the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. In the dark days of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving an official American holiday, but asked that citizens request of God to “commend to His tender care of all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife” and to “heal the wounds of the nation.”

With these thoughts in mind, it is clear the thanks should be given regardless of the outward circumstances in which we find ourselves. Many of us find ourselves facing difficulties, just as our American ancestors did. In these difficult social and economic times, many of us have scaled down the size and cost of our Thanksgiving celebrations. Sickness and death take their toll at all times and in all places, and there may be some empty places at the table that were filled last year. But we must look at what we do have, rather than what we lack, just as was done by those who have preceded us, and give thanks accordingly:

“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” Ephesians 5:20.

When we concentrate on the blessings of God, particularly His greatest gift of salvation through Jesus Christ for those who have placed their trust in Him, we will strengthen our relationship with Him and look at our circumstances with a new and more positive outlook. This in turn will give us more impetus to trust God to provide for all our needs and to direct our paths.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning,” James 1:17.

Thanksgiving is all about knowing the truth of who we really are in Christ, and what we have received from the hand of God. It is the understanding that we are not just here as an accident of chance or circumstance. We are not just the product of a biological mistake of evolution. But we are men and women created in the image and likeness of God Himself. We are designed to have a relationship with God and to have fellowship with Him.

If you will open your heart and life this Thanksgiving to the Savior who loves you and gave Himself for you, this could be the greatest Thanksgiving you have ever experienced!

Happy Thanksgiving!
Dr. Ed Hindson and the World Prophetic Ministry team

Horrific Violence Against Christians Taking Place in Africa

Earlier this month, Islamic militants terrorized Muatide village in Mozambique for three days. Between November 6 and November 8, they corralled fleeing Christians to a local soccer field where more than 50 villagers were beheaded and chopped to pieces.

Barnabas Aid, a Christian organization that serves the persecuted Church throughout the world, has contacts in the area and reported that anyone who refused to support the jihadists and embrace their beliefs was attacked and their property set on fire. In one such attack, gunman shouting “Allahu Akbar” (“God is great,” also known as an Islamic battle cry) stormed into Nanjaba village on November 6, firing weapons and setting homes on fire. Two villagers were beheaded, and several women abducted.

Scores of Christians are being asked to refuse Christ. They are fleeing to Christian mission stations throughout the area for protection. Since 2017, more than 2,000 people have been killed and about 430,000 have been left homeless in the region.

NIGERIA

In Nigeria, thousands of people have died at the hands of extremist groups such as Boko Haram and the Fulani militants. Nathan Johnson, the Africa regional manager for International Christian Concern, commented “Recently the violence has skyrocketed. It’s a definitely a different level of violence now. Entire villages are wiped out.”

Justine Patrick, 25, was killed in October walking home from work. Suspected Fulani extremists led the attack. Johnson said he doesn’t know why Patrick was murdered, but suspected it had to do with his faith.

“Farmers aren’t usually carrying anything of value, so they probably attacked him because he was a Christian,” Johnson told The Christian Post. “’Justine Patrick’ is clearly a Christian name. In Nigeria, if you’re a Christian, you have a Christian name. If you’re a Muslim, you have a Muslim name.”

International Christian Concern’s statistics count 600 murders by Fulani tribesmen so far this year. Human rights watch groups are warning that violence in Nigeria by radical herdsmen and Islamic extremists against Christians is reaching the level of genocide.

ETHIOPIA

Regional tension and an escalating humanitarian crisis have reignited conflict in Ethiopia. The federal government has declared a six-month state of emergency and has cut off internet and communication access in the region of Tigray.

The rise in unrest came after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, a native of the Oromo ethnic group, postponed national elections that were to be held last August. This was after he had granted amnesty to thousands of political prisoners and legalized outlawed opposition groups.

Last week 56 people were killed in western Ethiopia by 60 suspected militants with the Oromo Liberation Army rebel group.

A bipartisan group of 20 members of the U.S. House of Representatives has called for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to confront the Ethiopian government about violence against ethnic and religious communities and the used of excessive force by security officials.

Even though Abiy has insisted his government has everything under control, the situation in Ethiopia must continue to be monitored.

PRAY: Continue to pray for our African brothers and sisters. Pray for their faith and courage in the face of persecution. And pray for the global persecuted Church.

PHOTO: Barnabas Aid

Churches Under Attack Through COVID Regulations

Many Christian pastors and celebrities are warning that some politicians taking advantage of the pandemic to enact religious persecution throughout the nation. Southern Baptist leader Albert Mohler Jr. believes that some politicians are using the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to enact policies that reflect an “overt hostility” toward churches. The president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, was a speaker at the recent Values Voter Summit.  

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins interviewed Mohler for the segment, with the former talking about a “spiritual dynamics” to recent events in the United States. At one point, Perkins asked Mohler when churches should start to question “the motives of government” regarding COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on in-person worship.  

Mohler responded he believed “some politicians have used COVID-19 as an opportunity for overt hostility to religious congregations and especially the Christian churches. And that overt hostility is what we have to confront.”

“No government authority has a right to say that the church isn’t essential. No government authority has the right to tell us how we are to order our worship services, and no government has the authority to say that Christian churches or other religious gatherings can be uniquely discriminated against,” Mohler continued.

Several states, including California and Oregon, still call for churches to be closed. Yet, they allow for bars and strip clubs to remain open. In Nevada, churches have a 50-person cap on religious gatherings while the state allows for casinos to operate at 50% of capacity.

Mohler did express support for “reasonable, temporary, generally applicable rules” aimed at curbing the pandemic, but warned, “that’s not what we’re looking at in some cases.” The inconsistencies are staggering when it comes to churches.

As an example, Mohler referenced Capitol Hill Baptist Church of Washington, D.C., which recently filed a lawsuit against Mayor Murriel Bowser over outdoor worship gathering restrictions. The suit accused Bowser and government officials of being “discriminatory in their application of the ban on large scale gatherings,” pointing out that the mayor herself spoke at an outdoor event in June that had thousands of attendees.

In a similar manner, actor Jim Caviezel spoke out against cancel culture, saying religious leaders in America need to rise up because churches are under persecution. Caviezel, best known for his portrayal of Jesus Christ in “The Passion of the Christ,” told Fox News that Christians are “being persecuting for their faith. If Christians don’t watch out, it will be canceling Christianity as well.”

The actor, whose latest film “Infidel” is a true story about an American Christian who’s kidnapped in Cairo, Egypt, and imprisoned in Iran under false spying charges, called on Christian leaders to stand up for their faith. “A lot of our pastors, our bishops, our priests, they’re laying right over. They let their churches be burned. How do we know that? Well, it’s right there in the news,” he said. “That’s why we’re in this situation right now. We can’t go to churches. We can’t go into our church. Why? Because they could get contaminated, right? So why are we on airplanes?”

Caviezel insisted that keeping churches closed during the pandemic is affecting those who need it most in these times. “I have had friends that have committed suicide. I have seven SEAL buddies that lost seven of their friends committing suicide. Would it have helped to get into a church especially during this time? Absolutely. And is it good for mental illness? Yes, it is,” he stressed.

Churches across the country closed their doors beginning in the spring to help curb the spread of COVID-19. With gathering restrictions still in place months later, some churches have chosen to defy orders or file lawsuits, claiming discrimination against places of worship, including the aforementioned Capitol Hill Baptist church and John MacArthur’s Grace Community Church among others.

Being Thankful in Troubled Times

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength;

They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run,

and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

Are you weary with all that is going on in America today? As followers of Christ, we know that nothing surprises God. He is in control. He has a plan. When you are feeling low or overwhelmed, I encourage you to dig into Scripture. One of the most vital things we can do in these uncertain times is to take an eternal perspective.

 We have entered November, a month when traditionally we take time to reflect on all that we are grateful for. Even in a year like 2020, we can find so much for which to be thankful. Psalm 136 is a Psalm of thanksgiving which begins with the verse: “O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever,” Psalm 136:1. Further, every verse in this Psalm concludes with the phrase, “for his mercy endureth forever.”

 Charles H. Spurgeon, the great preacher of the nineteenth century, said the following about Psalm 136 in his work, The Treasure of David: “We know not by whom this Psalm was written, but we do know that it was sung in Solomon’s temple (2 Ch. 7:3,6) and by the armies of Jehoshaphat when they sang themselves into victory in the wilderness of Tekoa. From the striking form of it, we should infer that it was a popular hymn among the Lord’s ancient people.” 

Thus, ancient Israel, after the bondage of Egypt, the wandering in the wilderness, and fierce warfare to conquer their Promised Land, found reason to thank and praise God, as should we.  

The word “mercy” is especially significant when used in the Psalms, for it indicates God’s love for His people. He has made a covenant relationship with us, and He is loyal to that covenant. 

Jesus stressed the importance of thankfulness when He healed ten lepers in Luke Chapter 17. Of the ten, only one returned to thank Him. This man happened to be a Samaritan, a natural enemy of the Jews, but he was grateful enough for this miracle to thank Jesus, a Jew, for this miraculous cleansing. 

Jesus Himself expressed thanks to His Heavenly Father. As part of His prayer when He raised Lazarus from the dead, He said, “Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me” (John 11:41). At the Last Supper, He took time to give thanks for the elements of the first Communion service (Matthew 26:27), although He was just hours from the events that would ultimately lead to His death on our behalf. 

No matter how bad times are—as a whole, or for us as individuals—we can find something about which we can express our thanks to God. If nothing else, we can be thankful that He has led us by His Holy Spirit into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ that has provided us with an eternal home in glory. We can thank Him for the opportunity of living in a nation that allows us the freedom to vote. We can thank Him for family and friends who are a reflection of His love for us. May we be mindful of these things.

“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you,” 1 Thessalonians 5:18.

A Call to Pray and Vote!

One of the reasons I’m convinced that God has blessed America all these years is because America was founded by Godly men and women who were concerned to take the Bible seriously, and to live out its truths in their lives.

 Secondly, they took the whole issue of freedom seriously, a freedom that was guaranteed to everybody as one of the unalienable rights given to us by our Creator. They understood that we are not here by accident. We are not simply here by convenience. We are here by the Divine sovereign choice of God Himself. God called those Pilgrims and Puritans to come to this new world, to establish this new nation to the glory of God.

You and I are the recipients of the blessing of God because our forefathers paid the price to establish this nation based on the principles and truths of the Word of God. They did it with a sense of dignity, with a sense of freedom that would allow everybody of every religious persuasion to come to this country in order to serve God by the choice and the dictates of their own hearts.

As time has gone on in American history, there have been many challenges along the way. God has intervened on many of those occasions. In the Revolutionary War, at a very crucial point, General Washington and his army were about to be defeated by the British in New Jersey. A fog came rolling in and covered them as they retreated across the river and escaped from being trapped at the end of that peninsula.

There were times in the Civil War when God again moved in to preserve the union of this nation. And there are certainly times when God moved in, in the 20th century. You see, God has placed into our hands incredible opportunities, incredible potential as a nation. But He also holds us accountable for what we do with that potential.

For if we want to continue to see the blessing of God on America, we need to be a people who are on our knees, seeking God, calling out to God, turning our hearts and our lives over to God. In a crisis, in a tragedy, we are quick to pray. We are quick to say, “God bless America.”

But when everything is going well, and the crisis has passed, when the blessings are flowing, do we then remember to get on our knees and again say, “God bless America. Convict us where we need to be convicted. Challenge us where we need to be challenged. Encourage us where we need to be encouraged. Bless us even when we don’t deserve your blessing”?

God has wonderfully blessed the United States of America, far beyond anything we deserve. And though we are not a perfect nation, and though there are many problems and challenges and difficulties, it is still one of the greatest nations in all of the world.

Let us come before the Lord with repentance and a humble spirit and plead for Him to continue to bless America! This is a nation in which there is freedom of religion, freedom of choice, freedom of opportunity for you and me to open the Word of God. To preserve these freedoms and so much more, if you have not already done so through early voting, I encourage you to prayerfully vote on Tuesday, November 3.

Pope Endorses Same-Sex Civil Unions

In the documentary “Francesco” released this week, Pope Francis calls for civil union laws for same-sex couples. These remarks are a clear break from the Catholic Church’s official teaching.

“Homosexuals have a right to be a part of the family. They are children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out, or be made miserable because of it. What we have to have is a civil union law; that way they are legally covered,” Pope Francis said in the film.

During his time as archbishop in Buenos Aires, he endorsed civil unions for homosexuals as an alternative to same-sex marriages. However, up until now, as pope he has never commented publicly in favor of civil unions.

To date, Francis has not changed Catholic doctrine that marriage is between one man and one woman. Currently, the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith teaches that “respect for homosexual persons cannot lead in any way to approval of homosexual behavior or to legal recognition of homosexual unions. The common good requires that laws recognize, promote and protect marriage as the basis of the family, the primary unit of society.

“Legal recognition of homosexual unions or placing them on the same level of marriage would mean not only the approval of deviant behavior, with the consequence of making it a model in present-day society, but would also obscure basic values which belong to the common inheritance of humanity. The Church cannot fail to defend these values, for the good of men and women and for the good of society itself.”

Will it be just a matter of time before this biblical teaching is reversed?

Largest Mennonite Denomination Divided

The Mennonite Church (MC) USA Conference’s relaxed approach to same-sex marriage and LGBT pastors has some congregations evaluating whether they can stay connected to the conference. MC USA has membership guidelines based on the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective, which considers homosexuality a sin and marriage as between one man and one woman for life. It also prohibits pastors from performing same-sex marriages.

However, congregations and regional conferences have decided whether they will adhere to the guidelines or not and the MC USA does not actively enforce them. According to the MC USA, it has four credentialed leaders who identify as LGBT.

Pastor Bob Yates of Bethel Mennonite Church of Inman, KS, commented “There has been way too much leeway for every congregation and conference to do what they want, basically. There seems to be no standard.”

Bethel, founded in 1875, decided to disaffiliate with MC USA. “We question the direction MC USA is headed … in addressing what sin is, whether the Bible is true, how we’re called to live, and who defines that,” said Yates.

Netherlands to Expand Euthanasia to Children

Earlier this week in the Netherlands, Health Minister Hugo de Jonge pushed a proposal to expand the use of euthanasia for terminally ill children between the ages of 1 and 12. If done by a physician, end of life procedures are already available for babies up to one year old and for anyone over 12 years old.

The Christian Post reports that under what is known as the Groningen Protocol — a 2004 set of Dutch medical directives with criteria under which doctors are allowed to perform “active ending of life on infants” without fear of legal repercussions — babies in the Netherlands can be euthanized for serious disability and terminal illness.

By expanding the euthanasia laws, traditional “gray areas” will be redefined as palliative care where children are put into an artificial coma and dehydrated to death.  De Jonge said that the termination of life should be possible for “a small group of terminally ill children who agonize with no hope, and unbearable suffering.”

Sedation and withholding nutrition over an extended length of time is not care, it is euthanasia in slow motion! It is unbelievably cruel.

Wesley J. Smith of the Discovery Institute wrote that he did not believe the “terminally ill” requirement will last. Smith commented “Dutch death doctors always use the ‘gray area’ excuse to expand the caste of the killable. Once death is in the driver’s seat, it never hits the brakes.”

The Bible is clear all life is created by God’s direct intention according to His infinite knowledge. Genesis 1:26-28; 2:7 teaches that God created the very first human life and Psalm 139:13-16 indicates that God Himself forms every subsequent human life in the womb!  Furthermore, Jeremiah 1:5 reveals God knows every individual before He forms them in the womb. Therefore, the intention of this expansion of law in the Netherlands clearly attempts to supersede the role of God!

Frighteningly, the Bible tells us to expect such efforts as the last day draws near. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 teaches us that in the last days much of humanity will be lovers of themselves while denying the power of God. Similarly, many Bible teachers believe such medical technology equates to the “knowledge [that] shall be increased” in “the end of time” as taught in Daniel 12:4. The Bible is clear every human life is precious to God and directly created in His image. Humans should be extremely cautious as we encroach on this divine directive.

PRAY: Pray for leaders in the Netherlands to reverse course and to work to protect the divine sanctity of life. Pray for Christians to see this as a call to strengthen their relationship with their heavenly Father and spread the message of His love to their unbelieving countrymen.

Chinese textbook rewrites Bible, claims Jesus stoned woman to death

A communist textbook that is being used in Chinese schools falsifies the biblical account found in John 8:3–11. The textbook claims that Jesus murdered the woman who was found in adultery and said He, too, is a sinner. The textbook, published by the government-run University of Electronic Science and Technology Press, states: “The crowd wanted to stone the woman to death as per their law. But Jesus said, ‘Let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone.’ Hearing this, they slipped away one by one. When the crowd disappeared, Jesus stoned the sinner to death, saying, ‘I too am a sinner. But if the law could only be executed by men without blemish, the law would be dead.’”

Christians in mainland China are distressed about the distortion of the biblical account, reports UCA News. “I want everyone to know that the Chinese Communist Party has always tried to distort the history of the Church, to slander our Church, and to make people hate our Church,” a parishioner who uploaded the textbook on social media was quoted as saying in his post.

Another Christian in mainland China, who was identified only as Paul, was quoted as saying, “The same pattern has been repeated every year but the Church has never fought back or received the respect and apology it deserves.”

Bitter Winter, a magazine that reports on religious liberty and human rights in China, noted the subtle objective behind manipulating the textbook. “The story teaches that the law and the (Chinese Communist) Party are good and pure and transcend the impure human beings who happen to represent them. Even if the officers are corrupted, their decision should be accepted—because, honest or corrupted, they represent the Party, and the Party’s law should never be questioned,” the magazine writes.

John 8:3–11 says: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now, what do you say?’ They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, ‘Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?’ ‘No one, sir,’ she said. ‘Then neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’”

The magazine reported earlier that children were also being taught to oppose religion, encouraged to question the beliefs of family members and report those closest to them to authorities. China has been cracking down on underground churches and Christian activists for years. The Chinese government continued its campaign against Christianity during the country’s coronavirus outbreak by destroying crosses and demolishing a church while people were on lockdown. More than 60 million Christians live in China, at least half of whom worship in unregistered or so-called illegal underground churches. China is ranked as one of the worst countries in the world when it comes to the persecution of Christians.

Are We Nearing the Rapture?

One of the signs of the end times and return of Christ, mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, is a falling away or a great apostasy (Greek, apostasia). Many have wondered when this type of falling away from the faith would occur and it is possible that we may be seeing the beginning of this event. The major areas that are contributing to this quick decline in belief in the Western world are the decline of faith in Europe, the decline of faith in the United States and the impact of the coronavirus.

First, Christianity is on major life support in Europe. Once a dominant Christian stronghold that sent missionaries all around the globe, Europe no longer has any strong Christian presence. For example, a recent Guardian report showed that 59 percent of young people aged 18-29 never attend religious services and 70 percent identify as non-religious. Secularism has destroyed Christianity throughout most of Europe and entire generations are no being raised in completely secular environments. The bastion of Christendom for so many centuries is now devoid of Christ.

Second, the United States, while not as secular as Europe, is quickly as it way to following in its footsteps. Secularism is on the rise and Christianity is suffering greatly. Even basic Christian beliefs are being thrown aside by the culture at large and even many who claim the Christian faith. In a recent State of Theology survey produced by Lifeway, 52 percent of Americans believe that Jesus was simply a great teacher, but not God. Even more troubling, 30 percent of self-identified Evangelicals also agreed that Jesus was a great teacher but not God. This is not a highly contested or debated theological concept but is a foundational theological belief in order to consider oneself a Christian. These types of surveys show that American Christianity is rapidly on a similar trajectory to that of Europe.

Finally, the coronavirus may also help to contribute to this rise in apostasy. Many church attenders have not been able to attend church for many months. Some have been able to watch digitally but many do not have access to the technology that allows for easy streaming. Churches are also struggling to survive during this pandemic. A recent Barna study showed that twenty percent of churches in America could be in danger of closing within the next 18 months, both because of financial struggles and because many churchgoers who attended prior to the coronavirus have not returned when the churches have been able to reopen. It is possible a decline in the coronavirus could help with these numbers, but it is still a significant blow to churches in a time when churches are needed to stem the tide in secularism. These trends could change and a great apostasy away from Christianity can be avoided.

Perhaps while Europe and America decline, other regions of the world will drive Christianity forward. However, it is also very possible that the stage is being set for the return of Christ and this rapid turn away from Christianity is another step in this direction. We need to be in prayer for our nation, for our churches, for our pastors and we need to be prepared to reach a world that is no longer accepting of basic Christian beliefs and morality. While we anxiously anticipate the return of Christ with an eye to the sky, we also need to work as diligently as possible to reach as many as we can with the Gospel of Jesus.

Pray our nation will experience a great revival and turn away from the roots of secularism that have taken hold in so many through our nation and the world.

Trusting God

Our nation is in turmoil. The challenges we are facing today are not new; however, we do have Someone we can turn to for answers. God is the ultimate resource in times of trouble!

There are many Bible passages that can provide us with guidance to overcome the feeling of being overwhelmed by adversity, but one that truly stands out to give us hope among stressful situations is found in Philippians 4:4-9. If anyone should have experienced worry and anxiety, it was the Apostle Paul. He was persecuted by both the Jews and the Romans; he was afflicted by a “thorn in the flesh”; and, of course, he had an overwhelming concern for the spiritual condition of those to whom he ministered. We can read a short outline of some of his calamities in 2 Corinthians 11:22-23. Yet he could find peace in the midst of adversity through his faith in the Lord. He shared his steps to peace with God in his letter to the church at Philippi. He said:

1. “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4). Remember that Christ is the Lord of our lives and all the circumstances surrounding them. We rejoice in the Lord because we know that nothing can happen to us that God cannot use for our benefit. Our joy is not dependent on the circumstances, but on the fact that God is in control of those circumstances.

2. “Let your moderation be known unto all men” (Philippians 4:5). When we are yielded to God, we will live moderately in an outward sense. The degree of our inward yieldedness will manifest itself in outward moderation and be a witness to others about our trust in the Lord. It will, in addition, bring comfort in the place of conflict in our lives.

3. “Prayer” (Philippians 4:6-7). The entire passage tells us to be careful, or anxious, about nothing, but make our requests known to God through prayer and supplication “with thanksgiving.” Petition to God for the problems of the present should include thanking Him for what He has done for us in the past. Not only are our thanks due Him, but also, recalling such events increases our faith for the present distresses. We are told here that the result is “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). Whether or not God addresses our specific circumstances here and now, He does promise to give us peace in them!

4. “Think on these things” (Philippians 4:8). In this verse, Paul gives us a list of “positives” and commands us to focus on them. In so doing, they will replace worry in our hearts and minds.

Finally, in verse 9, Paul holds himself up as an example to his readers and says essentially, “What you have witnessed from me, do the same thing” and again promises, “the God of peace shall be with you.”

From the world’s standpoint, Paul’s life could probably be considered a failure. But from a Christian standpoint, he was a tremendous success, having penned approximately half the books of the New Testament. Despite hardship, he could say at the end of his life, just prior to martyrdom:

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith,” 2 Timothy 4:7.

In times of trouble it is important to pray for one another. We are committed to praying for our country during these tumultuous times. We are also committed to praying for you. In return, your prayers would be a tremendous encouragement to us as we share the Gospel and seek to provide answers to those who are seeking TRUTH.

The Recent Peace Agreement

The recent peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain brokered by President Trump has raised numerous questions related to Bible prophecy. Some are asking: Is this the peace treaty between the Antichrist and Israel (Daniel 9:27)? Others are asking: How does this agreement fit with the Gog and Magog prophecy (Ezekiel 38-39)? Still others want to know: Does this have anything at all to do with Bible prophecy?

I believe the Bible gives us some very specific clues to help us answer those questions.

1.      This is definitely not the peace treaty between the Antichrist and Israel! The Antichrist will not be revealed until after the Restrainer is removed at the Rapture (2 Thess. 2:3-10). Also, this new agreement with two Arab states does not in itself guarantee Israel’s safety.

2.      It is much more likely that the peace agreement with UAE and Bahrain continues to set the stage for the Gog and Magog invasion described in Ezekiel 38-39. That prophecy depicts a massive invasion of Israel in the last days (38:16) from every direction involving Magog (Russia), Persia (Iran) Cush (Sudan) and Put (Libya). Since this prophecy has never been fulfilled, it must come to pass at some future time. By today’s observation this appears to be a Russian-backed Islamic invasion of Israel in the last days.

In relation to the current situation 3 things stand out. Three entities will protest the invasion but will not act in Israel’s defense: Sheba and Dedan represent Arabia and Tarshish represents Western Europe (38:13). Unnamed in this prophecy are Egypt and Jordan, both of which already have peace treaties with Israel. In other words, there could not be a more clear scenario than we have now. Russia and Iran will head the attack with support from other Muslim states. Western Europe (EU) will object but refuse to intervene. The same will be true of the Arab states (the Saudis, the Emirates and Bahrain) as well as Egypt and Jordan. What part the USA will play remains to be seen. Will they stay out of the conflict like Europe? Time will tell. If the future political leaders of the US are anti-Israel this could well be the case.

3.      The current peace agreements certainly seen to be setting the prophetic stage for the final fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecy. If we understand the prophecy correctly this recent move should not surprise us. It should get our attention! We appear to be one step closer to the final fulfillment of Ezekiel 38-39. In the meantime should we pray for peace, work for peace and hope for peace in the immediate future? Yes! But at the same time, we need to be aware that there will be no lasting peace until Jesus, the Prince of Peace, returns. In the meantime, the prophetic clock is ticking. Keep looking up (Luke 21:28).

China Orders Christians to Stop Believing in God

House churches across China have experienced intensified persecution in recent months, with Communist officials telling Christians they are not permitted to believe in God in the atheist country. Bitter Winter, a publication produced by the Center for Studies on New Religion which covers human rights issues in China, documented numerous instances where Christians were threatened and harassed by Chinese Communist Party officials.

In June, a group of officials in the county-level city of Leiyang, in the central province of Hunan, raided a house church. They confiscated the church’s donation box and destroyed Bible verses on the walls, telling the Christians their actions were “the result of their disobedience” and that it was “illegal to hold religious gatherings without a permit or joining the Three-Self Church.”

In May, the Religious Affairs Bureau in the province’s Yongzhou city shut down a house church for “holding illegal gatherings without permits” and confiscated all valuables in the venue, including a computer, a photocopier, and Bibles.

In April, police in Dengzhou city in the central province of Henan raided a house church, confiscated its Bibles and hymnbooks, and took eight congregation members to a police station for interrogation. One Christian later revealed that a police officer said to him that they could “not believe in God in China.” The believer also revealed that half a month later, police visited the eight arrested members at home to ask if they had continued to attend religious gatherings. Officers warned them that they would be sentenced to three to five years in prison if they gather again.

“We don’t break any law by believing in God, but the government treats us this way,” the believer said. “The government wants to eliminate all religions and threatens us with the future of our family members, forcing us to give up our belief. It’s really shameless.”

Protestant Christianity is one of five approved religions alongside Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, and Catholicism in China. Religious organizations must register with one of five state-sanctioned patriotic religious associations, which are supervised by the State Administration for Religious Affairs.

Christian churches that refuse to register with the government, known as “house churches,” are illegal. However, even Three-Self churches — those registered with the government — have experienced an uptick in persecution in recent months.

Numerous reports have revealed the persecution Christians have endured at the hands of the CCP, including arrests, detentions, imprisonments, and church attacks. Such persecution is part of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s efforts to abolish religion and enforce greater control over people’s lives.

The magazine reported that “countless number of churches” were also ordered to remove their crosses in Jiujiang, Fuzhou, Fengcheng, Shangrao, and a few other cities in the province in April.

Persecution watchdog Open Doors USA ranks China as one of the worst countries in the world when it comes to the persecution of Christians. The organization notes that all churches are perceived as a threat if they become too large, too political, or invite foreign guests.

This type of persecution should not surprise anyone. Everywhere communism has spread, religious persecution has quickly followed. Communism, combined with the rise of secular atheism, has created a worldwide environment where persecution has risen dramatically. If the United States continues to become more secular and moves toward communistic ideals, then persecution could quickly follow and soon it could be illegal to go to church, read a Bible, pray or even believe in God.

PRAY: Pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in China who are being targeted for their faith. Pray that America will turn away from secularism and turn back to God.

Franklin Graham Warns Socialist Left Will 'Close the Church Down’

Prominent evangelical leader Franklin Graham says that the Democratic Party is “opposed to faith” and warns that the left will “close the Church down in many places” should the United States fall into the embrace of socialism. “The Democrats, if anything, they are opposed to faith,” Graham asserted after being asked to compare and contrast the major parties’ positions on faith.

“The Democrats have taken God pretty much … out of government,” he added, later stating that the changes that “the left want to make and take us into socialism is going to affect the Church. The government will … begin to tell the Church how [it] can be the Church and they’ll close the Church down in many places,” Graham warned. “We see right now because of COVID, the government trying to tell the Church that they can not meet and the Constitution gives us that freedom to do that. But because of COVID, they said we can’t meet.”

The outspoken evangelist assured that there are millions of Democrats who are “wonderful people” and stated that his father was a lifelong Democrat who “never switched parties.” He argued that his dad “saw the party that he grew up in changing and moving to the left. That’s what it’s done,” Graham contended. “The Democratic Party today is a party of the left. It’s a socialist party, they want socialism for this country.”

“I am just asking that God would spare this country, for another four years, to give us a little bit more time to do the work before the storm hits. I believe the storm is coming. You are going to see Christians attacked, you are going to see churches close and you are going to see a real hatred expressed toward people of faith. That is coming,” Graham continued. “Jesus told us. He said, ‘You will be hated by all people because of me.’ And if we are going to stand for the name of Christ, the world will hate us.” Graham had previously spoken about the “absence of God” at the Democratic National Convention in a Facebook post.

Shortly after Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., as his running mate, Graham called the “the most pro-abortion presidential ticket in the history of our nation” a source of “great concern to all Christians." Graham also stated “the only hope for this country is God. Donald Trump can’t turn it around,” Graham stressed. “Biden isn’t going to turn it around. Only God can do this … and we need God’s help.”

An example of the types of actions Graham is warning about is already occurring in California, where Los Angeles County officials have attempted on four separate occasions to shut down Grace Community Church. Pastor John Macarthur has taken the officials to court over their bans, arguing that the First Amendment does not allow for the government to tell churches they are not allowed to meet in person. After four different count filings, Los Angeles County has notified the church that it will soon be evicted from a parcel of land it uses as a parking lot, a move lawyers say is retaliation for the church’s decision to hold indoor worship services amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Some officials have even warned that the church could suffer fines and Pastor MacArthur has stated that he is willing to go to prison to keep the church open and meeting. Graham warns that if the Left continues its push towards socialism and gains control, more of these types of assaults on pastors and churches will become common throughout the nation.

Pray- Pray that our nation will turn back to God and move away from the secular culture that is dramatically turning the country away from its religious foundations.

Could the Coronavirus be setting the stage for the Rise of the Antichrist?

And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark,

or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Revelation 13:17

One of the questions that many Christians are asking is how the coronavirus could be impacting prophecy and the end times. While the virus itself is not a prophetic event, it could be setting the stage for the antichrist in three main areas: stronger government regulations (especially with regards to religious services), a push for a one world government and a possible move to both a cashless and global economy.

First, the coronavirus has created stronger government regulations throughout much of the world, even in most of the democratic nations that tend to be the most free. While some government regulations are necessary, continually increasing power and control in the hands of a few politicians and allowing them to make decisions on when people can leave their houses, which stores are allowed to be open and even when or if people are allowed to attend religious services. While it is true that many of these regulations may be lessoned if the virus lessens, it is also establishing a framework that would allow very few people massive control throughout the world. Perhaps the antichrist will one day be able to use this same type of structure to control and regulate the world, especially if people assume that the Rapture is some type of pandemic event.

Second, many, such as Al Gore, have taken the pandemic as an opportunity to push for a stronger one world government. When you combine this push for a single power in control with the stronger regulations that have occurred, it becomes very easy to see how someone like the antichrist could easily gain control of enough power to take control of the major nations of the world. Some have always wondered how the antichrist could possibly gain so much power and make so many changes so quickly during the time of the Tribulation. Perhaps this pandemic has shown us a blueprint of how something like this could occur. We would never have dreamed that so much of our daily life could be changed as quickly as it did in March. The Rapture, perhaps seen by the world as some type of pandemic, could very well be a catalyst that then allows the antichrist to rise to power in a similar manner.

Finally, the coronavirus has caused and will continue to cause dramatic changes to not only the economy of the United States, but also the entire world. Many have already been pushing for a cashless society for years and the pandemic has even heightened these calls.

A recent New York Times article was published entitled “Our Cash-Free Future Is Getting Closer: The pandemic is propelling a shift toward a cashless society in ways that no other single event has.” Liz Alderman writes, “Cash was already being edged out in many countries as urban consumers paid increasingly with apps and cards for even the smallest purchases. But the coronavirus is accelerating a shift toward a cashless future, raising new calculations for merchants and enriching the digital payments industry.”

Why would this be important? For centuries people have wondered how the antichrist could use the mark of the beast to control buying and selling of goods (Rev. 13:17). All of the different currencies and cash would make that a very difficult proposition. However, a cashless society makes this much easier, as the government could simply block off someone’s account and cards and completely cut off their ability to purchase goods. While it is not definitive that the coronavirus is setting the stage for the antichrist’s rise, these events do offer a blueprint on how his rise to power could occur in the future.