April 2009


           

U.S. House Passes “Hate Crimes” Legislation
Published April 29, 2009 by Jim Brown
OneNewsNow

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation that one conservative Christian activist says protects bizarre sexual orientations and threatens the free speech of those who dare speak out publicly against homosexuality.

By a 249-to-175 vote, the House passed the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act today. Among other things, the bill would add gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation to the list of protected categories under federal hate crimes law. A companion bill, the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act, has already been introduced in the Senate.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer claims the legislation “does not affect free speech or punish beliefs or thoughts. It only seeks to punish violent acts.” But Andrea Lafferty, executive director of the Traditional Values Coalition, says Hoyer is ignoring the case of eleven Christians in Philadelphia who were charged with hate crimes for sharing Scripture verses at a homosexual pride rally.

“Ask the Philadelphia 11. We know what these supposed ‘hate crime’ laws are meant to do. In Philadelphia, Christians were arrested and jailed based on hate crime law,” she points out. “So we know that what the other side is saying — that it will not affect pastors or youth pastors or Christians — we know that is not true.” Under the hate crimes bill, Lafferty contends a pastor who delivers a sermon denouncing homosexuality or transgenderism could potentially be prosecuted for hate speech.

Other Related Articles

House Agrees To Muzzle Pastors With “Hate Crimes” Plan
Christian Leaders Condemn Hate Crimes Bill
Why “Hate Crime” Laws Would Ban Biblical Christianity
Judiciary Committee Greenlights “Hate Crimes”
Censors For Talk Radio Expected Within 90 Days
Fairness Doctrine “Unconstitutional”
Obama’s War On Free Speech
Conservatives To Napolitano: Apologize And Go Home!
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Swine Flu and the Pale Horse of the Apocalypse
Published April 28, 2009 by Wayne Turgeon
The Trumpet.com

Fear of an imminent, potentially devastating flu pandemic is sweeping the globe.

A multistrained swine flu has infected nearly 2,000 people in Mexico, it is believed, killing up to 149 as of Monday just in that one country. According to authorities, this flu is an animal strain of the H1N1 virus that killed around 50 million people in 1918.

The United States declared a state of emergency on the weekend when at least 20 people were identified with the virus. Cases have also been identified in Canada, New Zealand and Spain. European Union Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou went so far as to warn EU citizens against traveling to America or Mexico. Margaret Chan, director general of the World Health Organization, warned that the virus has “pandemic potential” and is a “public health event of international concern.”

“We have determined that this virus is contagious and is spreading from human to human,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on its website. In Mexico City, the government has canceled all public events, from ministerial speaking engagements to rock concerts. Schools have been closed and millions have been cautioned against going to work. Soldiers and police have handed out 2 million face masks in the city.

For those familiar with Bible prophecy, the sea of face-masked people in Mexico City and widespread fear of a global flu pandemic brings to mind the image of the pale, or sickly, horse of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, as described by the Apostle John in the book of Revelation.

The first three horsemen of the apocalypse symbolize religious deception, war, and famine. Along with the fourth horseman, pestilence, these riders represent the end-time culmination of the most traumatic problems endured by a rebellious mankind. They picture one of the most ominous scenarios ever.

“And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth” (Revelation 6:7-8).

The key to the identity of the last horseman is the word pale, which often makes us think of someone who is feeling sick, having an anemic-looking appearance. Pale is translated from the Greek chloros, which we would normally take to mean the color of chlorophyll, the property that gives plants their healthy green appearance. When used biblically, however, chloros means the sickly pale green color of sickness and disease.

In Matthew 24, Christ the Revelator unlocks the true identity of this pale green horse: “and there shall be… pestilences” (verse 7). The man on the pale horse symbolizes climactic, globe-encircling plagues and pandemics occurring and soon to occur in this modern age!

The only reason for this type of extreme punishment is man’s unabated rebellion toward his Creator God. “As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth” (Daniel 9:13). The book of Daniel is an end-time prophecy (Daniel 12:4, 9).

Let’s examine Deuteronomy 28 (part of the law of Moses) and add modern-day expressions to see more clearly how this warning applies to our time now. “But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee …. The Lord shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it. The Lord shall smite thee with a consumption [chronic, degenerate diseases such as aids], and with a fever, and with an inflammation [malaria or communicative diseases such as influenzas], and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew … with the botch of Egypt [elephantiasis], and with the emerods [tumors, cancer, etc.], and with the scab, and with the itch [aggravated psoriasis and other nutrient-deficiency diseases such as scurvy, rickets, etc.], whereof thou canst not be healed [incurable or drug-resistant diseases] … with madness [mental illness, insanity] and blindness and astonishment of heart [emotional distresses such as depression]” (Deuteronomy 28:15, 21-22, 27-28).

The next verse (verse 29) graphically depicts the utter hopelessness of mankind suffering from these and the many other innumerable scourges of our generation.

In America, health care remains a controversial subject among lawmakers. Billions of dollars are spent annually. We have too many problems already to try to satisfactorily deal with new ones that seem to pop up without warning. To make matters worse, we live in a small world. And what about the prospect of blatant terrorist acts to damage air, soil or water quality?

Millions are prophesied to die because they fail to heed God’s warnings to turn to Him with the type of contrite attitude necessary to please Him (Isaiah 66:2). God wants true repentance—a turning away from the carnal “human nature” that we possess to the spiritual nature God originally intended us to develop.

Beyond the suffering, however, Jesus Christ is returning to this Earth to bring it all the joy and happiness man has continually sought after! God will mercifully end the deadly sweep of the four horsemen just before they eradicate mankind from off the Earth.

Whether the current outbreak of swine flu will grow to pandemic levels remains to be seen, but disease epidemics are certain to come.

For more on this fourth horseman of the apocalypse, as well as the other three, read our booklet: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Updated Related Articles: April 30, 2009

Swine Flu Moves Towards Pandemic Levels, WHO Raises Alert To Phase 5
World Health Organization (WHO) Fears Pandemic Is Imminent
Swine Flu Prompts Mexico To Shut Down Economy
Canada Confirms 6 More Swine Flu Cases
Obama Vows “Vigilance” As Swine Flu Spreads

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Disease Warning
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All These Are The Beginning of Sorrows
Published April 28, 2009 by Pastor Adam Gislason
Great Adventure Ministries

As the swine flu spread from Mexico and then across the world with lightening speed over the past couple of days, I was reminded once again of the words of Jesus to his disciples in Matthew 24:3-8. “As he sat on the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, “Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of your coming and the end of the world?”

And Jesus answered, “Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ and shall deceive many. And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not troubled, for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to understand that something of great magnitude is happening before our very eyes in the world today. Deception is on the rise in the church. There are wars and rumors of wars. Nations are rising against nations and kingdoms against kingdoms. There are famines, pestilences and earthquakes in various places. And yet Jesus says that we are not to be troubled-that all of these things must come to pass, that the end is not yet and that all these are the beginning of sorrows.

Many people through the years have thought that they were in the last days. In fact, even the disciples thought Jesus was going to come back in their lifetime and many since then have thought the same thing. To be clear, I’m not a prophet and I’m not the son of a prophet-but I do happen to work for a non-profit organization!

I have no idea when the rapture will happen, who the Antichrist is, when the seven year tribulation will start, when the War of Gog and Magog will take place or when Jesus is coming back in conjunction with the battle of Armageddon that will lead to events such as the 1,000 year millennial kingdom, the end of the earth and the beginning of the new heaven and the new earth described in Revelation 21.

But I do know this: We are closer than any other generation has ever been to seeing these things come to pass. And while there has always been deception in the church, wars and rumors of wars, nations rising against nations, kingdoms against kingdoms, famines, pestilences and earthquakes-it sure seems that all of these last days birth pains are increasing both in frequency and in intensity just like Jesus said they would.

The swine flu is no coincidence. At a minimum, it’s the beginning of sorrows.

Are you ready for the coming judgment?

Jesus may be coming back soon. Let us awaken before it’s too late.

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EU Health Ministers Scramble As Swine Flu Hits Europe

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The Responsibilities of a Good Shepherd
Published May 20, 2005 by Sandy Simpson
Deception In The Church

There was a good reason why the illustration of a shepherd with his sheep was used so often in biblical times … because it was an illustration people could easily identify with in their cultural context.  The illustrations we use are most effective when they are understood easily by the culture to which God has sent us to minister.  Middle eastern cultures understood what shepherding was all about.  It was about feeding the lambs and the sheep, bringing them to good pasture lands and water, grooming and clipping them, delivering new lambs, leading them and teaching them to stay together, going off after the wandering lost ones, and protecting the sheep in the field and in the fold.  We are all under shepherds and Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd.  We need to emulate what the Good Shepherd does for the sheep.
John 21:15-17 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you truly love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep”.

There are many other aspects of this deep passage I could dwell on such as the Lord’s use of the word “agape” and Peter’s use of the word “phileo”, or the paralleling of the three denials with Peter with the three commands of Jesus … but I want to look at the three statements of Christ and think about the excellent illustration of shepherding by the Shepherd Who is showing us how to be good under shepherds.

Feeding

First Jesus says “feed my lambs.”  Emulating the foundational apostles such as Peter, we are told to feed the lambs.  Lambs need milk.  They need the basics of the Gospel and simple biblical precepts to grow.  We are then to “take care of the sheep”.  That means we are to do everything I will get into in a moment.  Finally we are to “feed my sheep”.  Remember, these are the sheep of the Lord, not our sheep.  We are caretakers of sheep that belong to the Master.  The point is we are to move beyond feeding the lambs milk to feeding the sheep solid food.

Heb. 5:12-14 & 6:1-3  In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.

What then is solid food?  It is training in righteousness so that the sheep can be fully equipped, able to stand in the day of testing.

2 Tim. 3:16-17  All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Stories, pop psychology and worldly methodology do not feed sheep.  They must be fed on the written Word of God as it is exegeted properly and applied by the Holy Spirit.

Watering

Genesis 29:3  When all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone away from the well’s mouth and water the sheep. Then they would return the stone to its place over the mouth of the well.

Water, in the Bible, is often used as an allusion to the Holy Spirit.  It certainly is in the case of water baptism.  An under shepherd will lead his flock to water regularly.  He will roll away the stone of hard hearts and prepare those hearts to be receptive to the nourishment of the Holy Spirit.  This can only be accomplished by rolling away the stone of the “self” culture so the light of God’s written Word can shine through teaching and proper exegesis, through prayer, and living in obedience to the commands of Jesus Christ.

Grooming

A shepherd grooms his sheep, keeps them clean and free of contamination from the world, the flesh and the devil.  He then prepares them to be disciples, followers of the Good Shepherd, so they will, in turn, go out and minister to others.

Matt. 28:19-20  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Shearing

Duet. 18:4-5  You are to give them the firstfruits of your grain, new wine and oil, and the first wool from the shearing of your sheep, for the LORD your God has chosen them and their descendants out of all your tribes to stand and minister in the LORD’s name always.

At times sheep must be sheared.  This is a useful and profitable process for both the sheep and the shepherd.  This is an offering to the Good Shepherd.  For the benefit of all, the sheep must be sheared … disciplined, encouraged and rebuked … to keep them fit for service to the Lord.

2 Tim.4:2-5  Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage— with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

Heb. 12:7-11  Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

1 Thessalonians 5:14  And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

Titus 2:15  These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

Delivering Lambs

Isaiah 40:11  He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

We are to deliver the lambs.  We preach the Gospel, the Holy Spirit then convicts the sinner, and if some repent and believe they can be born again.

John 3:3  In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

Only the Lord Jesus Christ can save and cause a person to be born again.  But when a lamb is newly born, the under shepherd still has responsibilities.

John 11:25  Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;

John 11:39-44  “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”

We roll the stone away by preaching the Gospel to let the light of the Son shine in the darkness.  When a lamb is born, they come out wrapped in placenta.  They still have the vestiges of of the old man wrapped around them.  They need to be helped to put off the old man and put on the new lamb!  This is called discipleship.  Then when the lamb is relatively free, we let them go to grow on to maturity and live their faith out in action.

Leading

The under shepherd leads the flock in the world, while helping them not to be “of the world”.

Ps. 23:1-6  The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Following the lead of the Good Shepherd as under shepherds we are to lead the sheep to pasture and water.  We teach them and restore them.  We guide them in paths of righteousness.  We protect them from wolves and beasts in the world with the rod and staff.  The rod and staff are for discipline of the flock and protection for the flock.

Proverbs 23:14  Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death.

1 Samuel 17:40  Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.

We are to discipline the sheep to be aware of the pitfalls of the world.  We are to lead the flock out and teach them to stay together in unity.  Sheep automatically have one type of unity, which they are to “keep”.

Ephesians 4:3  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

The only way to be a sheep is to be born again.  Otherwise you are a goat or a wolf.  Those who are born again have a bond of peace, a unity of the Spirit.  But there is another unity that we must build the sheep up into … the unity of the Faith.

Eph. 4:12-14  to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

This unity is unity of belief, unity of doctrine.  There is no way for sheep to by unified with wolves in sheep’s clothing because there is no unity of the Faith.

Matthew 10:16  I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.

Wolves are those who pretend to be in unity with the sheep just long enough to come in and drag sheep away into sin.  They look and talk like sheep, but they expose who they are by their fruits, false teaching and false prophecies.  We need to teach the sheep to be shrewd and be on the watch for the pitfalls of the world, the flesh, the devil and of false religion.

Wandering Sheep

True under shepherds will make an effort to look for wandering sheep.

Luke 15:4  “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

The Bible is clear that many people have and will continue to wander from the Faith.

1 Timothy 6:10  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

1 Timothy 6:20-21  Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith. Grace be with you.

James 5:19-20  My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

We need to help people who have wandered, fallen into the fire, while being careful not to get burned ourselves or soil our own clean clothes.  This means we need to be careful about hanging out with false teachers and those who are deceived because we are also in danger of being deceived.

Jude 1:22-23  Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear— hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

We need to be mindful that we have all wandered at times, we have gone astray, but the point is to return to the Shepherd.

1 Peter 2:25  For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Protection

The shepherd would bring the flock home to the fold at night.  He would then lay down in the gate physically to protect the sheep from wolves coming into the sheepfold.  He literally put his life on the line for the sheep.

John 10:1-13 “I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

We learn some important things about being a good under shepherd in this passage.  First of all we are to be watchmen.  There are not only savage wolves out in the world, there are savage wolves who are entering the fold at an alarming rate.

Acts 20:29  I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.

Matthew 7:15  “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

The wolves who try to enter the fold make themselves look like sheep.  They talk like sheep, they pray like sheep, they make themselves look ultra-holy, they say “Lord, Lord”, they claim to be doing miracles, casting out demons, making prophecies in the name of the Lord … but by their fruit you will know them … the fruit of lying, of false works, false prophecy, false teaching, false anointings, following false apostles, and trying to be justified by their works.  The Shepherd sees through their ruse and calls them what they are … evildoers.

Matt. 7:21-23  “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

If we as under shepherds do not protect the flock against these wolves, we are just as liable for the destruction they cause under our watch as they are.

Ezekiel 33:6-7 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood.’ “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.

God has made every under shepherd a watchman.  There are many gates into any church.  The gate of the bookstore, the gate of the music ministry, the gate of the pulpit, the gate of the bulletin board advertising upcoming so-called “Christian” events, the gate of the women’s ministry, and the gate of people who come into the body but have an agenda to take people away from unity in the Faith. We need to lay our bodies down in the gate to protect the flock at the risk of our reputations, friendships, our livelihood, and perhaps even our lives.  There are too many “hired hands” in the churches today who are not doing their job because they do not want to take a stand against anyone or anything.  By their inability to make the hard stands they make themselves useless to the Good Shepherd, and allow great evil a foothold under their watch.

Conclusion

Those who are called to be servant under shepherds in the body of Christ must take that responsibility seriously.  There are far too many who claim to be called to servant leadership, but demonstrate clearly that they are not qualified to be shepherds according to God’s criteria.  We need to be feeding the lambs and the sheep, bringing them to good pasture lands and water, grooming and clipping them, delivering new lambs, leading them and teaching them to stay together, going off after the wandering lost ones, and protecting the sheep in the field and in the fold.

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Warning That Pakistan Is In Danger of Collapse Within Months
Published April 13, 2009 by Paul McGeough
The Sidney Morning Herald

PAKISTAN could collapse within months, one of the more influential counter-insurgency voices in Washington says. The warning comes as the US scrambles to redeploy its military forces and diplomats in an attempt to stem rising violence and anarchy in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

“We have to face the fact that if Pakistan collapses it will dwarf anything we have seen so far in whatever we’re calling the war on terror now,” said David Kilcullen, a former Australian Army officer who was a specialist adviser for the Bush administration and is now a consultant to the Obama White House. “You just can’t say that you’re not going to worry about al-Qaeda taking control of Pakistan and its nukes,” he said.

As the US implements a new strategy in Central Asia so comprehensive that some analysts now dub the cross-border conflict “Obama’s war”, Dr Kilcullen said time was running out for international efforts to pull both countries back from the brink.

When he unveiled his new “Afpak” policy in Washington last month, the US President, Barack Obama, warned that while al-Qaeda would fill the vacuum if Afghanistan collapsed, the terrorist group was already rooted in Pakistan, plotting more attacks on the US. “The safety of people round the world is at stake,” he said.

Laying out the scale of the challenges facing the US in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Dr Kilcullen put the two countries invaded by US-led forces after the September 11 attacks on the US on a par – each had a population of more than 30 million.

“But Pakistan has 173 million people and 100 nuclear weapons, an army which is bigger than the American army, and the headquarters of al-Qaeda sitting in two-thirds of the country which the Government does not control,” he told the Herald.

Added to that, the Pakistani security establishment ignored direction from the elected Government in Islamabad as waves of extremist violence spread across the whole country – not only in the tribal wilds of the Afghan border region.

Cautioning against an excessive focus by Western governments on Afghanistan at the expense of Pakistan, Dr Kilcullen said that “the Kabul tail was wagging the dog”. Comparing the challenges in the two, he said Afghanistan was a campaign to defend a reconstruction program. “It’s not really about al-Qaeda. Afghanistan doesn’t worry me. Pakistan does.” But he was hesitant about the level of resources for, and the likely impact of, Washington’s new drive to emulate an Iraq-style “surge” by sending an extra 21,000 troops to Afghanistan.

“In Iraq, five brigades went into the centre of Baghdad in five months. In Afghanistan, it will be two combat brigades [across the country] in 12 months. That will have much less of a punch effect than we had in Iraq. “We can muddle through in Afghanistan. It is problematic and difficult but we know what to do. What we don’t know is if we have the time or if we can afford the cost of what needs to be done.” Dr Kilcullen said a fault line had developed in the West’s grasp of circumstances on each side of the Durand Line, the disputed border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. “In Afghanistan, it’s easy to understand, difficult to execute. But in Pakistan, it is very difficult to understand and it’s extremely difficult for us to generate any leverage, because Pakistan does not want our help. “In a sense there is no Pakistan – no single set of opinion. Pakistan has a military and intelligence establishment that refuses to follow the directions of its civilian leadership. They have a tradition of using regional extremist groups as unconventional counterweights against India’s regional influence.”

In the absence of a regional diplomatic initiative to build economic and trade confidences before tackling the security issue, the implication, Dr Kilcullen said, was that India alone could not give Pakistan the security guarantees Islamabad required.

The special US envoy Richard Holbrooke has been charged with brokering a regional compact by reaching out to Iran, Russia and China, and Dr Kilcullen said: “This is exactly what he’s good at and it could work. “But will it? It requires regional architecture to give the Pakistani security establishment a sense of security which might make them stop supporting the Taliban,” he said.

“The best case scenario is that the US can deal with Afghanistan, with President Obama giving leadership while the extra American troops succeed on the ground – at the same time as Mr Holbrooke seeks a regional security deal,” he said. The worst case was that Washington would fail to stabilise Afghanistan, Pakistan would collapse and al-Qaeda would end up running what he called ‘Talibanistan.’

“This is not acceptable. You can’t have al-Qaeda in control of Pakistan’s missiles,” he said. “It’s too early to tell which way it will go. We’ll start to know about July. That’s the peak fighting season … and a month from the Afghan presidential election.”

Other Related Articles

US military worried about Taliban move on Pakistan
U.S. Questions Pakistan’s will to stop Taliban
Taliban Advance: Is Pakistan Nearing Collapse?
Israel: Pakistan’s Nukes could fall into the hands of the Taliban

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Judiciary Committee Greenlights “Hate Crimes”
Published April 23, 2009 by Bob Unruh
WorldNetDaily


Members of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee today rejected an opportunity to protect Christian pastors who preach the biblical condemnation of homosexuality and approved on a 15-12 vote a “hate crimes” bill that supporters admit could be used to bring charges against religious leaders. The bill, H.R. 1913, now will be considered by the full House of Representatives.

The committee rejected a number of amendments offered by several members seeking to protect religious liberty, to protect the unborn, to protect against violence by illegal aliens, and to clarify the bill’s meanings of “gender identity” and “sexual orientation.”

One of the rejected proposals was offered by Rep. Louis Gohmert, R-Texas, who sought to ensure ministers could not be prosecuted for abetting a “hate crime” simply because they preach from the Bible or another religious book.

When a nearly identical plan was developed in the last Congress, Rep. Artur Davis, D-Ala., admitted during a hearing on the bill it could be used to prosecute pastors merely for preaching under the premise that they could be “inducing” violence in someone.

The bill ultimately failed then because President Bush determined it was unnecessary – the crimes banned in the legislation already are addressed by other laws – and it probably was unconstitutional.

“The federal hate crimes bill is bad news for everyone,” said Brad Dacus of Pacific Justice Institute, who testified in Congress against the bill two years ago. “Instead of treating all crime victims equally, it creates a caste system where select groups, such as gays and lesbians, are given greater priority in the criminal justice system. This is not progress; it is political correctness. In other nations and states, the adoption of hate crimes legislation has been the first step toward widespread suppression of speech and ideas critical of homosexuality,” he said.

Matt Barber of Liberty Counsel has spoken out against H.R. 1913, the “Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009,” a number of times. “As has proved to be true in both Europe and Canada, this Orwellian piece of legislation is the direct precursor to freedom killing and speech chilling ‘hate speech’ laws. It represents a thinly veiled effort to ultimately silence – under penalty of law – morally, medically and biblically based opposition to the homosexual lifestyle,” he said.

Barber said the 14th Amendment already provides that victims of violent crimes are afforded equal protection under the law “regardless of sexual preference or proclivity.”

“If passed, H.R. 1913 will change all that. It overtly and, most likely, unconstitutionally, discriminates against millions of Americans by granting federally preferred status, time and resources to individuals who define their identity based upon aberrant sexual behaviors (i.e.,’gay’ and lesbian ’sexual orientation’ or cross-dressing ‘gender identity’),” he said.

He also said there is “zero evidence” suggesting homosexuals do not get equal protection now. “In fact, you need only look to the most famous ‘hate crime’ of all – Matthew Shepard – for proof. Although the evidence determined that Shepard’s murder was not a ‘hate crime’ by definition (a misconception still widely propagated by the homosexual lobby, the media and liberal lawmakers), the two thugs who committed the crime nonetheless received life in prison – and rightfully so. (Shepard’s murder turned out to be the end result of a robbery for drug money gone from bad to horrible),” he said.

Barber said likewise the murderer of Mary Stachowicz, a devout Catholic grandmother brutally killed by a homosexual for sharing the Bible with him, also was given a life sentence.

“The system worked in both cases and both victims received equal justice under the law apart from any discriminatory ‘hate crimes’ legislation,” he said.

Barber cited FBI statistics showing there were about 1.4 million violent crimes in the U.S. in 2007, but only 1,512 were presumed to be “hate crimes.” And two-thirds of those involved claims of “hateful” words, touching and shoving.

Under the specifications of the law, a Christian needn’t touch a homosexual to face charges, he noted. “If the homosexual merely claims he was subjectively placed in ‘apprehension of bodily injury’ by the Christian’s words then, again, the Christian can be thrown in prison for a felony ‘hate crime,’” he said.

The committee also rejected an amendment offered by Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, that would have withheld its special protections from pedophiles. WND reported just a day ago that the plan was introduced by Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., who said, “The bill only applies to bias-motivated violent crimes and does not impinge public speech or writing in any way.”

Section 10 of the act states, “Nothing in this Act, or the amendments made by this Act, shall be construed to prohibit any expressive conduct protected from legal prohibition by, or any activities protected by the free speech or free exercise clauses of, the First Amendment to the Constitution.”

However, critics cite United States Code Title 18, Section 2, as evidence of how the legislation could be used against people who merely speak out against homosexuality. It states: Whoever commits an offense against the United States or aids, abets, counsels, commands, induces or procures its commission, is punishable as a principal.

Jeff King, president of International Christian Concern, warned Christians to speak up before the legislation passes. He said they are acting like the proverbial frog in a slowly heating kettle that boils to death. “They need to wake up and take action to oppose this threat to religious liberty.”

Concerned individuals may contact representatives by calling (202) 224-3121 or by searching for their last names in the U.S. House of Representatives database.

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The Coming One World Economy Part 1
Published April 1, 2009 by Jim Simmons
Bible Prophecy Today

The world is currently experiencing financial crises. The question is, “Will this be the final global crisis that will ultimately trigger a One World Economy?” We cannot know for sure. If it isn’t the crisis that triggers a final one-world economy, it is definitely the tremors that precede the global financial crisis.

The following article, with a couple of exceptions, is taken from the book, The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times by Jim Simmons. In the first article, The Last Generation, we reviewed the three pillars that must be in place during the tribulation period. They are: One World Government, One World Religion, and One World Economy.

In previous articles, I covered the first two pillars. This article will focus on One World Economy. There will be some overlap with the One World Government and some of the points in the first article, The Last Generation.

The world economy is the fuel that energizes or makes it possible to complete the other two world pillars, building a one-world system unified under the rule of the Antichrist (Revelation 13: 16-18). In developing a case for the coming one-world economy, I am going to chronologically reverse the time-line from current events to past events. The order of events will deviate from this time-line in some instances. This method will help us see where we are, where we came from, and what is going on behind the scenes. It may be compared to peeling an onion.

The first part of the article is what you see on the surface, like the layers of an onion. The last part has to do with what is hidden beneath the surface, or behind the scenes (like the core of the onion).

The Final One World Empire

This final one-world empire will be an extension or revised version of the Roman Empire [see Daniel 2: 40-43; 7: 7-8; Revelation 13: 1-2]. Today, the European Union [EU] covers the approximate geographical area as the ancient Roman Empire. The final empire, a one-world system, will be led by the Antichrist and will emerge from the European Superstate, the EU.

Biblically, there is evidence of a One World Empire and a revived Roman Empire, which fits the description of the European Union. One biblical example is found in Daniel 2: 32-43. King Nebuchadnezzar of the Babylonian Empire had a dream that involved a statue. Daniel was called on to interpreted the dream. The statue represented four world empires composed of four different metals.

The fourth empire was Rome, represented by the legs, feet, and toes. The legs were made of iron, representing the Eastern and Western Roman Empires. That has already happened. The feet and toes were made of iron and clay (Daniel 2: 41). This variation in the metal composition may point the way to a revised version of the Roman Empire, which will ultimately include additional nations.

One of the ways we know that it is a future event is the relationship of the 10 toes (Daniel 2: 41-43) and the 10 horns, which are 10 kings or kingdoms (Daniel 7: 24). Rome was never under the leadership of 10 kings simultaneously. During the tribulation period, the world empire, which will be an extension of the revived Roman Empire, will be under a 10-kingdom rule with the Antichrist leading the way (Daniel 7: 7-8).

EU Currency

In 1999, a new EU currency called the euro was proposed. In 2001, the euro was legalized. In 2002, the euro replaced the national currencies in 12 European states.

On January 2, 2008, the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) was introduced. It includes 31 member states. SEPA created a multi-state zone where anyone in the European financial infrastructure can make electronic euro payments that are considered domestic. With the establishment of the euro and the SEPA, the financial unification of the EU is in place.

Currencies of the US and EU

The U.S. dollar has a history of being the most stable and accepted of world currencies. Now, the euro is growing in value against the U.S. dollar. “A lot of central banks, Asia in particular, where the most important volumes are located, are shifting reserves from dollar reserves into euros,” (According to Wemer Becker of Deutsche Bank). From July 2003 to July 2008, the U.S. dollar reportedly went from 1.15 dollars for one euro to 1.57 dollars for one euro. As this article is being penned on March 29, 2009, the rate is 1.32 for one euro, according to the German financial website, finanzen.net.

The U.S. used to be the world’s Superpower. That status is rapidly shifting to the EU, the primary power base of the Final Empire.

US and EU Combine Economies

“…In 2007 President Bush signed an agreement that commits the U.S. to economic integration with Europe, and that one of the provisions of the agreement was creating regulatory convergence between the U.S. and the E.U., including integrating health records electronically!”[See article titled “It’s All Coming Together” by Heidi Swander with Olive Tree Ministries, 3-9-09.]

Economy and Religion Join Hands

Over the last few years, we have seen faith-based Mutual Funds grow in popularity. For example, the Muslim Mutual Fund, Amana Trust Income Fund, has recently been a best performer over the past year. This means that its losses were only 25.8% as opposed to U.S. stock funds, which have lost 44% for the year [taken from the April 2009 edition of Midnight Call, P. 32].

“Here we see demonstrated religion, finances, and economy melted into one” [Ibid].

New World Order

The New World Order, including economy, is coming together rapidly. As we shall see later in this article, the roots of this new world order began around 60 years ago. It was close to the time of the birth of Israel (1948). It was also near the time of the birth of this “last generation.”

EU / UN / and NATO Connection

When prophecy scholars speak of the EU as being the revived Roman Empire, some people reject this interpretation of Scripture. Their objection is based on the final world empire being a world empire, not an EU empire. On the surface, this makes sense. There is, however an answer to this objection.

The European Union members and the Western European Union [WEU] and their candidates are integrated into two other major groups of nations. They are members of the United Nations [UN] (1945). They are also members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization [NATO] (1949).

It is of interest to note that the EU, NATO, and the WEU have their headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. The WEU was established as a result of a 1954 amendment to the Brussels Treaty [Article 5]. This made the WEU responsible for the collective defense of the EU. This put them in a very powerful position. Under Article 4, the security of the WEU member states (countries) became linked to NATO.

Consider the dates and links to other major international groups. The UN (1945), NATO (1949), and the WEU (1954), but its roots were in the Brussels Treaty (1948). The EU was linked to these major international groups in the years 1945, 1948, 1949, 1955 [WEU to NATO with roots in 1948]. All three major international groups are linked with the EU and WEU. The dates generally range from 1945 to 1949 with the exception of the WEU (1955), which is an offshoot of the Brussels Treaty of 1948.

These are some of the reasons, along with the biblical references, that the EU is considered the home base of a Final World Empire. This is another move toward world unity and ultimately a One World Empire led by the “man of sin,” the Antichrist. [To read more about this, including information about Javier Solano who is considered by many to be one of the most powerful men in the world, see Chapters 4 and 5 of the book titled, The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times.]

Worldwide Economy

Up to this point, the focus of a one-world economy has been narrowed to the EU and the US. A worldwide economy includes more than two nations.

“In recent weeks, leaders in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East have proposed scrapping the current economic order and going to a single common currency …The Kremlin is reportedly set to propose a new global common currency system that will replace the U.S. dollar as the international currency of choice.” [See “Russia to Propose New Global Common Currency” by Joel C. Rosenberg, 3-18-09 on the B.P.T. website.]

This week a UN panel will recommend that the world ditch the dollar as its reserve currency for a basket of currencies.

Some of the plans for a one-world economy began in the mid 1950s. Consider the following:

  • The Club of Rome (1957)

    The Club of Rome is a German based think tank established in 1957. It has a limit of 100 active members. The members are from five continents and 52 countries. There is only one country that is not included. It is Israel, of course. It was an association of scientists, economists, businessmen, international high civil servants, and former heads of state. The Club’s purpose is to figure out ways to solve humanity’s problems.

    Many years ago, the Club of Rome advocated a “one world order,” dividing the world into 10 economic centers or regions, i.e., regions of countries. “Regionalization” became the new buzzword.

    World Federalists also advocated “world regions” and have detailed plans for a world government similar to the Club of Rome.

  • Development of a Global Authority

    One of the roots of the global economy was the General Agreement on Trades and Tariffs [GATT], established in 1948. GATT, as well as other organizations at the Club of Rome, advocated a “One World Order,” dividing the world into 10 economic centers called “Mega Territories” and “Kingdoms.” [Remember the 10 toes in Daniel 2: 41-43; the 10 horns and 10 kings in Daniel 7: 24; and Revelation 17: 12?]. The One World Government would rule the “Ten Kingdoms” of the Club of Rome.

    GATT evolved into the World Trade Organization [WTO] in 1995. The WTO has 153 members and represents 95% of the total world trade. The U.S. recently agreed to the GATT Treaty by joining the WTO.

Political / Economic Regions

In 1974, the Club of Rome submitted a plan to the United Nations for a global government. The plan called for all nations to be divided into 10 political/economical regions. These regions are designated on a world map. Since 1974 [actually since 1993], almost 5 of the 10 designations on the world map have been completed as political/economic regions called “Unions,” and they are:

  1. The European Union [E.U.] (1993)
  2. The African Union (2002)
  3. The Mediterranean Union (July 2008)
  4. The Union of South American Nations [UNASUR] (or possibly the South American Union) signed the constitutive agreement on May 2008.
  5. The North American Union (It would include Canada, U.S., Mexico) [For more information, see “What about America?” in Chapter 4, Pages 100-102 of The Last Generation: Prophecy, Current World Events, and the End Times.]

This One World System [Government, Religion, and Economy] has been in the developmental stage since the beginning of this “last generation.” See article titled “The Last Generation” posted on 1-31-09 on the B.P.T. web site.

The Covert World Empire: A Shadow Government Behind the Scenes

This section is a brief review of the Covert World Empire. As mentioned near the beginning of the article, the first part of the article dealt with the developing Overt One World Economy that could be seen and identified. Now we will go behind the scenes. Who is really governing world events? Who is running the show? According to former Prime Minister Disraeli in 1844,

“The world is governed by very different personages from what is imagined by those who are not behind the scenes.”

Nelson Rockefeller is likely the main financier of the New World Order. In 1962, he wrote in The Future of Federalism,

“The nation state is becoming less and less competent … Sooner perhaps than we realize there will evolve the basis for a federal structure of the free world.”

The implication is that there are people with money pulling the strings behind the scenes with an agenda toward a European Superpower and a One World Government.

Hidden Hands: Pulling the World into a Global Super State

There are covert, rich, and elite Americans who have pushed for a United Europe, according to declassified American documents. In the 1950s and 1960s the U.S. intelligence community ran a covert operation to push for a United States of Europe. “It directed and funded the European federalist movement, and behind the scenes were the usual suspects from the Rockefeller and Ford Foundations, long controlled by ‘One World’ enthusiasts keen to abolish the nation state.” As we shall see, the visible rulers are front men and are not necessarily the ones pulling the strings.

There are a number of Christians who believe that the “end times” arena is in the hands of secret societies and organizations that are behind some world leaders and political movements. There is evidence to back up this belief. For example, one former British army officer believes that Europe’s future was decided in 1940.

According to the Daily Telegraph (London), Graham Langmead of Bogner Regis, West Sussex, England, in a letter that appeared on November 26, 1997, under the heading “Euro Visions,” told of an incident during World War II where he was an escort at Bologna in April 1945. As a very junior officer, he escorted a German General Von Vietinghoff following the surrender of the German forces in the central Mediterranean. The General told Langmead that a Franco-German agreement had taken place in 1940. The agreement was “that Europe would become one state controlled by Germany and France …” He went on to tell Langmead that there would be one currency, which would create a European state under German dominance.”

We don’t know about German dominance, but the General was definitely on target about Europe becoming one state [the EU]. He was also right about Europe having one currency.

In 1970, leading financier Edmund de Rothschild stated:

“Western Europe is going to form a political union. The structure that has to disappear, the lock that has to burst, is the nation.”

This has already happened. We now have the Western European Union [WEU], as well as the European Union [EU]. European countries are now called “member states.”

One has to wonder if Rothschild was forecasting a future need, or if he was behind the scenes, engineering world events. As we will later see, Rothschild, along with other super-rich financier families have been instrumental, behind the scenes, in directing world governments.

Historical Development of a Covert Empire

In 1797, a man named John T. Robinson wrote a book, Proofs of a Conspiracy. He was Secretary General to Scotland’s prestigious Royal Society and professor of natural philosophy at the University of Edinburg. He was an intellectual and a scientist. Robinson was also a high degree Mason. Whenever he traveled from Scotland to Europe, he always attended the Grand Orient Masonic Lodges.

On one trip, he met up with Adam Weishaupt, the founder of a new group known as “Illuminism.” This new element penetrated the Lodges. Weishaupt approached Robinson to join this inner circle. Robinson refused due to his loyalty to the royal family of England. He warned them that hidden powers were pulling the strings behind the French Revolution and that it was not an historical accident happening by a whim, but it “was manipulated by brilliant and powerful men who had their own agenda.”

The Illuminists planned to stage a revolt of the masses to unseat the “present powers of the hereditary aristocracy.” “This, indeed, was exactly what the French Revolution appeared to be — key people catalyzing great numbers of people.”

Adam Weishaupt, a professor of canon law at the University of Ingolstadt, started the Order of Illuminati on May 1, 1776. The Portman Papers, a quarterly newsletter that keeps watch on the superstate [EU], said in October 2000:

“Eight years before the French Revolution began in 1789 … Adam Weishaupt, founder of the Illuminati, drew up the blueprint. It goes on to say, “The Reign of Terror claimed over a million victims,” and “the terror was justified in the name of democracy.”

According to Professor Robinson, the true purpose of the Illuminati was World Domination. It was to have a world order ruled by an elite pretending to represent the common man. Weishaupt’s plan was to build a hierarchy of inner circles with one real circle who knew the true purpose of the Order.

This hidden agenda of evil characterizes our time. What is going on behind the world stage is beyond imagination. Part 2 of this article will deal with some of these hidden agendas. It is difficult to fight against an enemy that you are not aware of. The ultimate evil behind the world stage is Satan and his demonic hierarchy. He does not like to be exposed. In Part 2 of this article, we will see some of the things going on that could never have been imagined.

The times we live in are evil. Prophecy is being fulfilled before our eyes at an exponential rate. Jesus said “…You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free” (John 8: 32). If you have a relationship with Jesus Christ, rejoice for the time is near when we will meet Him at the rapture. If you don’t know Him personally, now is the time to acknowledge your need for a Savior. Then commit your life to Him and don’t look back.

(Click Here To Read The Coming One World Economy Part 2)

Other Related Articles

The Coming New World Order
The Coming One World Religion
Obama Proposes $100 Billion U.S. Loan For IMF
More Global Ponzi Scheme
Paper Money

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Never Again-No, Never Again!
Published April 14, 2009 by Jan Markell
Bible Prophecy Today

Yom HaShoah is the annual day to remember the slain six million Jews who perished under the crush of the Third Reich. This year the date falls on April 21. More than Jews perished. Hitler wanted to do away with his enemies and anyone who didn’t have blue eyes and blond hair. During the Carter administration, America officially recognized this important day as well. Many non-Jews attend memorial services in their area.

Let me take you to Israel for just a moment and relate the scenario on Yom HaShoah. The land literally comes to a halt, at least for two minutes! At precisely 8 AM each year, a two-minute siren is sounded throughout the land. Everyone in Israel freezes in their tracks. Rowdy teens grind to a halt. Children climb off their toys and stand at attention next to teachers or parents. All vehicles stop, forming a line of paralyzed transportation. Many drivers stand by their cars and trucks in solemn silence.

Some say the two minutes seems like eternity. In their hearts, every Jew in Israel is saying, “Never again; no never again!” But now Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says he plans on doing it again! He’d also like to perpetrate a Holocaust on Americans.

There is something unprecedented about the European Holocaust. For the first time in the bloodstained history of the human race, a decision was birthed in a modern state, in the midst of a civilized continent, to track down, register, mark, isolate, dispossess, humiliate, concentrate, transport, and murder every single person of an ethnic group as defined by the perpetrators –and for purely ideological reasons.

This was targeted at an ethnic group who so generously contributed to the culture of the world; to a people who have borne the brunt of enmity towards them basically because they dared to be different and dared to insist on their difference. To the Christian, another perspective enters, for our Messiah, Jesus, was a Jew.

Israel doesn’t want the world to forget, nor do they want us to buy into the devilish lies of “historical revisionists” who insist it either didn’t happen or that the number of six million is grossly exaggerated. They believe that what mankind forgets, he tends to repeat.

Israel has memorialized the Gentiles who helped them during WWII, and particularly at Yad Vashem, the memorial to the Holocaust in Israel. There were many Corrie ten Booms but not all the stories became public.

In 1979 I wrote a true story of Holocaust survivor Anita Dittman. It is ironic that back then both Bethany House and Tyndale House were vying for the manuscript. Today the major publishing houses have no interest in this kind of inspiration, truth, and history, and I am thankful that Lighthouse Trails polished up the book’s image in 2005 and republished it. It is now titled Trapped in Hitler’s Hell. It will change your life if you will read it, and I am not trying to make a sale. Anita’s story has been read or heard by tens of thousands and all would say their life was impacted in some way. God’s protective hand on Anita and her mother in Nazi Germany, in the concentration camps, in the escape, and many more scenarios, is gripping. Readers will never forget the story.

Anita lived in a Romans 8:28 world. No matter what atrocity she faced, she claimed that “all things worked together for good.” That plays out in every chapter. She spread her supernatural faith amidst disorganized chaos almost daily. Anita and her mother were Jewish believers.

Show your love for the Jewish people by participating in local Yom HaShoah activity. Many who went along with Hitler were members of a church. Some were pastors who put Hitler’s picture in place of a cross. The Nazis had a cross on the belts or one was worn around their neck. These images have kept deep wounds in the hearts of Jews for 70 years.

They would love to hear you say, “Never again!” as well.
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Train Wreck Coming In U.S.-Israel Relations Over Iran
Published April 15, 2009 by Joel C. Rosenberg
Joel Rosenberg’s Weblog

(Click Here To Read Entire Transcript of Joel Rosenberg’s Interview With Glenn Beck)

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U.S. Defense Secretary Warns Against Israeli Strike On Iran Nuclear Facilities
Iran Protests And Prepares For Israeli Threats
Iran At UN: Israel Planning On Striking Our Nuclear Sites
Iran’s UN Envoy Complains Against Israel
Peres: Talk Of Strike In Iran Unfounded
Iran Says It Plans New Nuclear Offer
Russia Says No S-300 Missiles Sent To Iran
Barak To Russia: Don’t Sell Advanced Missiles To Iran
No New Iran Sanctions If Iran Freezes Nuclear Development
Ahmadinejad: We Favor Talks With West
Iran To Launch New Satellite Into Orbit
Terrorist Expert: Iran’s Missiles Will Soon Reach To United States
Iran Is Ready To Talk
Talking To Iran
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The Liberal Roots of the Emergent Church
Published April 15, 2009 by Eric Barger
Bible Prophecy Today

Over a century ago spiritual liberalism swept through the once-sound mainline denominations, wreaking theological havoc on anyone in its path. Once solid and fundamentally based seminaries became infested with the liberal teachings of the so-called “German Enlightenment” and before long heretical intellectualism, which doubted the authority of the Bible, quickly spread to the leaders of the denominations, into the pulpits and finally to those in the pews.

Today, one doesn’t have to look far to see the spiritual disrepair that liberalism has left the denominations in. Because of the longstanding apostasy of the spiritual liberals, untold millions have already entered eternity without Jesus Christ – having previously believed that those entrusted with teaching them the Christian faith were doing so faithfully and authentically.

Using much the same modus operandi, Satan is now out to destroy the Evangelicals of our times. It worked well 100-150 years ago in the mainline denominations and it’s working again now. So, with the predicted falling away of the end-times in full swing (2 Thess. 2:3), every truth-seeking Christian needs to be aware of the “new” liberalism – The Emergent Church.

What is the Emergent Church?

“This short piece is not meant to fully educate on Emergent error. Nor will I go into the secondary issues of Rick Warren’s “Purpose Driven” philosophy or the “Seeker Sensitive” ideas of Bill Hybels and Willow Creek. There are many fine resources from trustworthy apologetics ministries and others that are shedding light on these troubling teachings as well as on Emergent thought. The DVD our ministry produced called The Errors of the Emergent Church is one such tool (Click Here). However, for the sake of those who may have never heard the term “Emergent,” let me offer a quick definition.

The Emergent Church Movement takes its name from the idea that the culture has changed, and a new church should emerge in response. It apparently grew out of discussion groups inside the Young Leadership Network in the 1990’s. To Emergents, Christianity should be:

  • Experience over Reason
  • Spirituality over Doctrine and Absolutes
  • Images over Words
  • Feelings over Truth
  • Earthly Justice over Salvation
  • Social Action over Eternity

Put bluntly, the Emergent Church Movement is a complete redefinition of Christianity. It is unquestionably the new Liberalism. However, don’t wait for Emergent teachers to use the term “Emergent.” Learn how to spot it for yourself.

How to Spot the Emergent Church in Your Church

Here is a short list of authors, teachers and areas of concern that may indicate that the leadership of your church is being influenced to varying extents by Emergent Church philosophy.

  • Are books or videos by teachers such as Brian McLaren, Rob Bell, Doug Pagitt or Tony Jones being recommended or used in classes, home groups or church services? These men began by simply questioning the authority of the Bible and the orthodox nature of Christian doctrine and have now redefined what they call Christianity into a completely cultic, yet loosely defined and identified, religion. It is a genuine oxymoron that the wildly unorthodox ideas taught by these men could be as readily accepted as they are in supposedly “Evangelical” churches, seminaries and even entire denominations.
  • Have biblical doctrines such as salvation by grace, repentance and the reality of a literal Hell been marginalized or abandoned? Is there a constant insistence that the Church must abandon history and orthodox teaching and change our methods in order to be relevant to the postmodern world? It is a completely flawed concept to believe that postmoderns are somehow different than all generations before them and that if we are to reach them then we must change. Sin in the hearts of men is still the problem and the Cross is still the antidote! God has entrusted us with the ONLY message that can cure the sickness of sin. Who are we to change the message? We must lovingly and accurately deliver the whole Gospel regardless of how it may be accepted and remember that it is the Holy Spirit’s task to draw men to Jesus – not ours. To edit the Gospel – regardless of how well-intentioned – is to thwart the Holy Spirit’s work and merely assures the eternal damnation of those we seek to reach. (Romans 1:16)
  • Is Contemplative Prayer/Spirituality being introduced and practiced? Is there talk of “Spiritual Formation,” centering prayer and something called “lectio divina” which, in a nutshell, is leading Evangelicals directly into the mystical and sometimes occult-based practices of the Roman Church? Have you heard the term “labyrinth”? (An usually intricate maze to meditate in, with basis in Greek, Egyptian and Cretan Mythology and used in Tantric Buddhism.) Mystics contend that utilizing a labyrinth will supposedly bring a relaxed mental attitude and end the search for life’s meaning! In reality, this road leads to New Age mysticism and even the occult, as does the popular Emergent practice of Yoga. A few popular contemplative adherents are Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton, Leonard Sweet, Thomas Keating, Richard Foster and Frank Viola.
  • Have buzzword phrases like “Missional Christianity,” “Incarnational Christianity,” “Conversational Christianity” and “Relational Christianity” been attached to the identity of your church?
  • Have the teachings of Open Source, Open Theism or Process Theology been embraced? (Open Theism teaches that God knows the past and lives in the present but has no idea of what the future holds. Obviously, this destroys every prophetic passage in the Bible – including the blessed hope of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.)
  • Is there a new, uncanny identification with saving planet Earth? Has environmentalism become common pulpit rhetoric? (Emergent author, Brian McLaren contends that it is Earth – and not unregenerate humans – that Christ came to save.)
  • Perhaps the most important question to ask is about the authority of the Scriptures. In your church, is the Bible held in utmost regard by those in leadership? Is the inerrancy of the Bible preached faithfully? Is there a complete and unapologetic dependence on God’s Word by those in leadership? The growth of liberalism and Emergent ideas is directly proportionate to the value placed on the Scriptures by individuals and church leaders. Without an unwavering accountability to the Word of God, every individual Christian, as well as every local church and national denomination, will soon find themselves in jeopardy.

What to do if Emergent is in Your Church

  • Prayer (conduct Spiritual Warfare!)
  • Dialog (ask questions)
  • Confront (Matthew 18)
  • Warn Others!
  • Flee! (when all else fails)

What we see happening in the Church today is no shock to those who study prophecy. The Scriptures are replete with warnings about false teaching and false teachers. Jesus alone warns of this an amazing 14 times; Paul and Peter, too. A great end-time apostasy is indeed going to sweep through the Church preceding the return of the Lord. I believe that before the spirit of Antichrist is finished, error will be the norm in allegedly “Christian” circles and orthodoxy will be the oddity. But as overwhelming as it may seem, I guarantee that you are not alone!

If you are alarmed at even the subtle Emergent influences at work in your church, so are many others who are battling for the very life of their local churches and even their denominations. Many biblical Christians are making the same stands that you are faced with making. God will indeed lead you as you hold faithfully to His Word, as you witness and as you pray. Great is the reward for those who walk with Jesus and follow the command to contend for the authentic faith (Jude 3). Don’t quit!

Other Related Articles

The Lighthouse Trails Research Project
The Emergent Church by Pastor Bob DeWaay (New)
Emerging Church DVD Series by Roger Oakland (New)
Exposing The Emerging Church
Emerging Church Video by Roger Oakland-Road To Babylon
Great Adventure Ministries Resource Page
Great Adventure Ministries False Teaching Page
Faith Undone by Roger Oakland
A Time of Departing by Ray Yungen
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          Fighting for Certainty in an Age of DeceptionThe Emerging Church - A New Reformation or an End-Time Deception
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