Why Does The World Seem To Be In A Constant State Of Crisis?

If you feel that the world is quickly slipping away from the tranquility and peace we have grown accustomed to, it is more than a feeling. We are in the midst of a paradigm shift, and we are at the threshold of big league changes, and we are at the tail end of the church age. This is the overwhelming consensus of most all mature believers to whom I speak. Are you prepared for Christ’s coming for His church? Maranatha, Pastor Steve <><

Breaking News Updates – April 18, 2024

Why Does The World Seem To Be In A Constant State Of Crisis?

BY BRITT GILLETTE APRIL 18, 2024

For over four years now, almost everyone who pays attention to what’s going on in the world lives in a constant state of anxiety. The reason? They’re waiting for the next shoe to drop – the next major global event that will upend their lives.

For over four years now, almost everyone who pays attention to what’s going on in the world lives in a constant state of anxiety. The reason? They’re waiting for the next shoe to drop – the next major global event that will upend their lives.

This is understandable. Over the past four years, we’ve endured COVID, the government response to COVID (lockdowns, passports, mandates, etc.), global supply chain issues, global inflation, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel, the shutdown of Red Sea shipping lanes, and numerous rumors of other major events set to break at any moment. So what’s next? Will it get worse before it gets better? The answer is yes, and this article reveals why.

The Interregnum

One of the reasons we see all these events taking place is the interregnum. What does that mean? Well, The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition defines an interregnum as: 

“The interval of time between the end of a sovereign’s reign and the accession of a successor.”

This typically describes a time period between two reigning kings, but in this instance, we’re using it to describe the time period between one superpower or group dominating global affairs and second rising to take its place. The last time we experienced an interregnum of this type was the 1914 to 1945 timeframe. Needless to say, this was quite a tumultuous era – 31 years that included two world wars and a global depression. 

When 1914 started, the Royal Navy of the British Empire ruled the high seas. The colonies of the British Empire spanned the globe, and it had dominated the 19th Century global order – controlling the world’s shipping lanes, issuing the world’s global reserve currency (the pound), and boasting the world’s premiere center of international finance (London).

When 1945 ended, the United States Navy ruled the high seas. U.S. military bases spanned the globe, and the United States dominated the 20th Century global order – controlling the world’s shipping lanes, issuing the world’s global reserve currency (the dollar), and boasting the world’s premiere center of international finance (New York).

As 2024 begins, we see U.S. naval power waning. Houthi rebels have shut down the Red Sea to all traffic from Israel, the United states, and their western allies. Almost 12% of all global trade passes through the Suez Canal, making the Red Sea one of the most vital shipping corridors in the world. For over 80 years, the U.S. Navy has carried out the role of ensuring the world’s shipping lanes remain freely navigable and open to international trade. Now, they are increasingly unable to do so.

The ability of the U.S. to project military power across the globe and secure vital waterways is one of the primary reasons the U.S. dollar dominates international trade. Another reason is the petro-dollar. When president Nixon ended the U.S. dollar’s convertibility to gold, it became a fiat currency – meaning its value is derived from nothing more than government edict. Since that day in 1971, all the world’s major currencies have been fiat currencies – something unprecedented in history. History shows all fiat currencies eventually reach their intrinsic value – zero. So what happens when all the world’s currencies collapse at the same time? 

In 1974, Henry Kissinger brokered a deal with Saudi Arabia wherein OPEC agreed to only trade oil for dollars. This has helped underpin demand for U.S. dollars for the past 50 years, but now the petro-dollar is ending. Saudi Arabia and OPEC are increasingly accepting other currencies for oil. U.S. debt is at unsustainable levels. Foreign nations are dumping U.S. debt in favor of gold, and the BRICS nations are attempting to create an alternative to the U.S. dominated global financial system.

In other words, the post-World War II order of global military power is transforming, and the current global monetary system is coming to an end. All this and more is why we see U.S. power and influence in decline, an increasingly fragmented global order, and a world where it seems we’re moving from one crisis to the next.

But I would argue there’s a more significant reason we’re seeing all this. Depending on your preconceived beliefs, you might reject it out of hand. But I encourage you to read on and examine the evidence for yourself. If you do, and reject my conclusion – fine. But it might just open your eyes to a truth that could change your life forever.

What’s Really Happening…

If the interregnum alone is not the reason for this constant state of crisis, then what’s really happening? Why do we see all these global events taking place? The answer is simple.

Jesus is coming.

The constant state of crisis we see today is exactly what Jesus said the world would look like just before his return:

“Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?” Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.” Matthew 24:3-8 (NLT)

Read that last line again, where Jesus says, “all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come” (emphasis mine). What does Jesus mean by the phrase “birth pains”? What do the spiritual, natural, societal, and political signs He described have in common with birth pains? Only this – birth pains (or labor contractions) are sharp pains which increase in both frequency and intensity in the moments leading up to birth. Jesus says this same pattern will precede His coming.

There’s another name for this pattern. It’s called an exponential curve. If you were to plot labor contractions on a graph, the result would be an exponential curve that increases right up until the time the baby is born. According to Jesus, the signs He describes and the general nature of things in this world will increase in both frequency and intensity just prior to His arrival. In other words, the exponential increase of the signs of His Coming is how we’ll know He’s near.

So what are those signs? Fortunately, we don’t have to guess. Jesus told us. The prophets told us, and the Bible is filled with verses that tell us. Furthermore, Jesus told us how to recognize the general timeframe of His return. When the disciples said, “Tell us the signs of your coming and the end of the age” (Matthew 24:3), Jesus told them a number of things to look for. He then said, “When you see all these things, you can know my return is near. I’m right at the door” (Matthew 24:33). He also said, “When all these things begin to happen, look up for your salvation is near!” (Luke 21:28).

This means the #1 indication Jesus will soon return is all the signs appearing together. The Bible tells us what those signs are, and the appearance of just one is reason enough to take notice. But the arrival of one sign after another demands your attention. It’s the sign Jesus said to look for. This convergence of signs confirms our generation will witness the Second Coming – not according to me, but according to Jesus.

Below are just a few of those signs. They include:

Israel Back in the Land – God promised to bring the Jewish people back into the land of Israel before He returned (Jeremiah 23:7-8). He said He would call them from “among the nations” (Ezekiel 39:28), from “the farthest corners of the earth” (Isaiah 11:12), and from “north, south, east, and west” (Psalm 107:3). He promised to welcome them home from the lands where they were scattered (Ezekiel 20:34). When they did, He promised to return and establish His everlasting kingdom (Isaiah 11:11-12).

The Jewish People in Control of Jerusalem – Jesus said armies would surround Jerusalem, destroy the city, and enslave its citizens. The Roman legions fulfilled this prophecy in A.D. 70. Jesus then said non-Jewish people (Gentiles) will control Jerusalem for a time, until the Jewish people once again control Jerusalem. Jesus promised to return once that happened (Luke 21:24-28). Since 1967, the Jewish people have controlled Jerusalem.

The Gospel Preached Throughout the World – When asked about the end of the age and the signs of His coming, Jesus said to look for a specific sign. He said the Gospel will be preached throughout the entire world. Every nation will hear it, and then, the end will come (Matthew 24:14). For centuries after the crucifixion, the Gospel rarely left a small area surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. In the past two centuries, Christians have brought the Gospel to every nation in the world. Today, missionaries are in every nation. The Bible is translated in hundreds of languages, and the message of Jesus is sent around the world by radio, TV, satellite, and the Internet. For the first time in history, we’re on the verge of seeing the Gospel preached to every last person on earth.

Digital Currencies – According to the Atlantic Council, 134 countries (representing 98% of the global GDP) are exploring, developing, or preparing to roll-out central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). CBDCs will mean government control of programmable currency, giving government insight into every financial transaction taking place. Almost 2,000 years ago, the Bible said:

“He required everyone – small and great, rich and poor, free and slave – to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name.” Revelation 13:16-17 (NLT)

While CBDCs are NOT the mark of the beast, they set the stage for it. CBDCs are indistinguishable in function from the mark of the beast, giving government the power to control who can buy and who can sell.

Israel Surrounded by Enemies – The Bible says enemies will surround Israel in the end times. Those enemies will say “Come, let us wipe away the nation of Israel. Let’s destroy the memory of its existence” (Psalm 83:4) and “Let us take for ourselves these pasturelands of God” (Psalm 83:12). Ezekiel said Israel’s neighbors will say “God has given their land to us” (Ezekiel 11:14‐17), and “Israel and Judah are ours. We will take possession of them. What do we care if their God is there?” (Ezekiel 35:10). Ever since the rebirth of Israel in 1948, the daily headlines have included these Bible verses. Israel’s Muslim neighbors claim the land of Israel for themselves, and they have no regard for the God of Israel.

Israel’s Exceedingly Great Army – Ezekiel said, in the end times, Israel will field “an exceedingly great army” (Ezekiel 37:10). Zechariah said Israel will be like a fire among sheaves of grain, burning up the neighboring nations (Zechariah 12:6) and even the weakest Israeli soldier will be like David (Zechariah 12:8). Since 1948, Israel has fought no less than four conventional wars against its neighbors. Despite being outnumbered more than 50 to 1, Israel has achieved overwhelming victory every time.

Rise of the Gog of Magog Alliance – The Bible says a military alliance that includes Russia, Iran, Turkey, and a number of Muslim nations will attack Israel “in the latter days” (Ezekiel 38:8) when God brings His people home from among the enemy nations (Ezekiel 39:27). Today, we see those very nations coming together for the first time – an alliance that has never existed in world history.

Rise of a United Europe – The Bible says a revived Roman Empire will come to power in the end times (Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Revelation 17). According to Daniel, it will be a ten nation alliance of weak and strong nations. Some parts will be as strong as iron, while other parts will be as weak as clay (Daniel 2:42). We see the beginning of this alliance in the European Union – a coalition of weak and strong nations struggling to stay together.

The Rise of Global Government – The Bible says a single government will rule the world politically (Revelation 13:7), religiously (Revelation 13:8), and economically (Revelation 13:16‐17) in the last days. It will rule over “all people, tribes, and languages” on the face of the earth (Revelation 13:7). Its authority will be so complete no one will be able to buy or sell anything without its permission (Revelation 13:16‐17). For centuries, a true global government was impossible. Today, world leaders openly discuss it.

Denial of the Signs – Almost two thousand years ago, Peter issued a warning. He said in the last days people will mock the idea of Jesus returning. They will make fun of those who believe in the Second Coming and say exactly what we hear today – things like, “I thought Jesus was coming back? What happened to His promise? Generation after generation has said He’s coming. Yet, since the beginning of the world, everything has remained the same!” (2 Peter 3:3‐4).

The World is in Crisis Because Jesus is Coming

Keep in mind, these signs haven’t always been present. Generations of Christians lived and died without witnessing any of these signs. For centuries of Christian history, none of these signs were present. Today, they all are. Jesus said when you see these signs, you can know His return is near. He’s right at the door (Matthew 24:33). In fact, Jesus said the generation witnessing these signs will not pass away before He returns (Matthew 24:34). The convergence of all these signs confirm it.

Moreover, Jesus compared these signs to birth pains. So it shouldn’t surprise us to see global events increasing in frequency and intensity. We should expect this constant state of crisis. 

Britt Gillette is the author of several books on bible prophecy and the end times. You can find more of his work at brittgillette.substack.com

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Did Dinosaurs and Man Coexist?

I never thought there would be debate on this topic within Christendom. But there is. Prophecy Watchers is a ministry that offers a lot of very good theology on eschatology / end times prophecy. But there are some in this ministry who teach that prior to creation week, Satan made the dinosaurs before Genesis 1:1. The first time I heard one of those teachers who teach thusly I could not believe my ears! Yikes! Read below for the TRUTH. In Christ, Pastor Steve <><

by Micah Van Huss | Mar 7, 2024 | Articles | 1 comment

Did man and dinosaurs roam the Earth at the same time? Let’s start answering the question by reading what God says about the topic in Genesis 1:25-27.

And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

If you believe God, then there’s your answer. God created both man and beast on Day 6 of creation. But a day is as a thousand years to God—and a thousand years is as a day to Him. We know that God created the Earth in six days because he says so in Exodus 20:11: “For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”

Also, on Day 7, Adam didn’t rest for 1,000 years.

The word “dinosaur” means “terrible lizard.” You won’t find the word dinosaur in the Bible because the word wasn’t invented until 1841 by Sir Richard Owen. Before that time, they were known as dragons. In the Bible, dinosaurs are called dragons, serpents, cockatrice, leviathan and behemoth. There are many places in scripture that mention dinosaurs.

We read about Behemoth in Job 40. He moves his tail like a cedar. He drinks a whole river. A lot of folks will say that Job is talking about a rhinoceros, hippopotamus or elephant, but none of these guys have a tail like a cedar. I believe that Job is describing a titanosaur, the heaviest land animal ever known.

Pterodactyls, though not dinosaurs themselves, lived alongside of dinosaurs and belonged to the pterosaur family. Fossils have been found with wingspans of 36 feet. Isaiah 14:29 mentions a fiery flying serpent.

Job describes Leviathan as a massive sea serpent that breaths fire in chapter 41. Psalm 74 mentions Leviathan as having multiple heads. A hydra is a “mythological” multi-headed dragon. In Hesiod’s Theogony, written around 700 BC, one of Hercules’ 12 labors was to defeat the Lernean Hydra. Polycephaly is the condition of having more than one head. Can you guess which animal kind is most susceptible to being born with multiple heads? That would be reptiles and snakes. The hydra may not be just a creature from mythology.

The apocryphal book of Daniel records that King Darius ordered Daniel to worship a great dragon. Darius even says, “You cannot deny that this is a living god…” Daniel claims to be able to kill the dragon without using a sword. He cooks fat, hair and pitch which he feeds to the dragon. The dragon bursts after the meal and Daniel points out that God is more powerful than the dragon. The Babylonians made Darius throw Daniel into the lion’s den for killing their dragon.

One of the earliest creatures to appear in the legends of ancient China is the dragon. It was worn on the robes of emperors, depicted on precious metals and referenced in literature and the performing arts dating back millennia. Despite being portrayed as a monster in most cultures, in China, it’s usually regarded as a benevolent creature. In one myth, Yu the Great (2070 BC) was helped by a dragon to manage floodwaters which were devastating his kingdom. A Chinese law book dating to 1611 BC lists the duties of a “Royal Dragon Feeder” who was responsible for throwing food into sacred ponds. In the 13th century, Marco Polo in his book, The Travels of Marco Polo, describes dragons raised by a Chinese emperor in order to pull his chariots.

Alexander the Great, came across a 100-foot-tall dragon while invading India in 330 BC. The Roman author Claudius Aelianus in his work On the Nature of Animals records the encounter. The Indians implored Alexander not to attack the serpent because it was their god. The dragon watched the Macedonian soldiers from its cave as they passed by. They said its eyes were the size of large Macedonian shields.

In 1856, workmen were digging a railway tunnel near St. Dizier, France. When one large limestone boulder was split open, the workers were astonished to see a large winged creature tumble out. It fluttered its wings, let out a croaking noise and died. Their description matches that of a pterodactyl. Indeed, a paleontology student in Gray, Tenn., identified it as such. This story was reported in the Illustrated London News on Feb. 9, 1856, on page 166.

The fact that the pterodactyl lived inside of a limestone boulder for thousands of years may seem impossible, but it’s not the only story of a creature existing in stasis. There are dozens of stories of frogs being enclosed in rocks and coming to life after the rocks are broken open. There are so many stories that the phenomenon is called “toad-in-the-hole.”

Fish can be frozen for months and “come back to life” after the ice thaws. Alligators in colder climates stick their noses out of the water before they are frozen in place for winter. Once the ice thaws, they’re back to normal. Can creatures, especially cold-blooded ones, live for long periods of time after being encased in rock?

In 1571, Spanish conquistadors discovered stones (the Ica Stones) in Peru. On over 500 of these stones are carved humans with dinosaurs, even some humans riding dinosaurs. The dinosaurs are depicted with skin texture. It wasn’t until 1997 that archaeologists found fossilized dinosaur skin in Bolivia. How did the creators of the Ica Stones know what dinosaur skin looked like?

In the 1940s, over 33,700 ceramic figurines were discovered in Mexico. They depict hundreds of different dinosaurs and extinct Ice Age animals. Some of the figures have humans riding on the dinosaurs. Scientists agree that these figurines are over 3,000 years old.

Trey Smith, in his God in a Nutshell Project YouTube page, produced a video about dinosaur rock drawings in New Mexico. He shows one petroglyph of a T. rex eating a human.

The Buru is a 15-foot-long reptile described as looking like a cross between a crocodile and a snake. They lived in the Himalayan valley known as Rilo as recently as 1947. Their existence was confirmed by British zoologist Charles Stonor who got the same very detailed description from two different villages many miles apart. His studies are recorded in The Hunt for the Buru.

Why don’t we see dinosaurs everywhere today?

First, the most dangerous ones were hunted to extinction. We have numerous stories from around the world of heroes setting out to slay dragons. Saint George slays the dragon around the ninth century in modern-day Libya. Beowulf sets out to slay the dragon around the sixth century in Scandinavia.

Second, lizards don’t grow as big as they did before the flood. Reptiles have an indeterminate growth pattern —meaning their size largely depends on environmental conditions. Conditions in the antediluvian world allowed for lizards to grow into the size of the giant dinosaur fossils we find today. We discuss the antediluvian atmosphere and environment in my book The Earth as it Was.

Scientists agree that alligators were on the Earth before dinosaurs. Why didn’t the comet that supposedly killed the dinosaurs also kill the alligators?

You have to have faith to believe in evolution because no one can see it happening or reproduce it. It’s a religion and your children are being indoctrinated on your taxpayer dollars in our public schools.

An often glossed-over question is: If God created all beasts to eat green herbs, how do we as Christians explain the shark and Tyrannosaurus rex? Creation goes through a series of corruptions. At the fall, some plants sprouted thorns— whether instantaneously or in the next generation is not clear. Beasts could have been corrupted at that point.

We find a powerful statement in Genesis 6:6-7. It grieved God at His heart that he had made beasts. In verse 12, He says that all flesh was corrupted on the Earth. Were the beasts corrupted by the Watchers and their offspring, the Nephilim? Apocryphal literature records that the Nephilim sinned against the animals.

God tells Noah to take both clean and unclean animals onto the ark. Levitical law told the Israelites which animals were clean and unclean, but that didn’t exist until 1,800 years later. Were the clean animals that Noah was to take onto the ark ones that had not been turned into chimeras by the Nephilim?

For anyone who believes that evolution was God’s tool for creation, ask yourself: What is your motivation for believing that? It can’t be because the theory is plausible. No one has ever observed Darwinian evolution (macro evolution) take place. Adaptation (micro evolution) is part of God’s creation.

Humans and animals adapt to their environments. That’s an amazing aspect of God’s design. But no one has been able to replicate or observe one animal kind changing into another animal kind. That, my friends, is not science. It’s a religion. At least I admit mine is by faith.

What then, is one’s motivation for believing in evolution? It seems to me that the only reason to believe in the religion of evolution is to not be laughed at by the world. As Christians, we are in the world, but not of the world.

Did dinosaurs and man coexist? Man has a natural desire to be free from authority. There will never be enough evidence for a militant evolutionist to admit that God is real.

These stories may help us understand what God says in His Word. Man and dinosaurs were created on the same day and therefore coexisted.

Be sure to stay connected to all things fantastical at http://www.marginalmysteries.com.

When Churches Dismiss Bible Prophecy… They Do So To Their Own Detriment

Breaking News Updates – January 30, 2024

When Churches Dismiss Bible Prophecy… They Do So To Their Own Detriment

BY DR DAVID REAGAN/LAMB & LION MINISTRIES JANUARY 30, 2024

Although prophecy constitutes almost one-third of the Bible, its importance is constantly downplayed by those who dismiss it as having no practical significance or by those who object to it on the grounds that it is a “fad” that takes people’s eyes off Jesus.

Such cavalier dismissals of Bible prophecy fly in the face of scriptures like Revelation 19:10 which says that “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Thus, if prophecy is properly taught, there is no reason for it to divert anyone’s attention away from Jesus. In fact, it should serve to emphasize the centrality of Jesus.

Is prophecy practical? Consider that all the New Testament writers testify to the fact that living with the anticipation of the Lord’s return will motivate holy living. What could be more practical than that? Here’s the way the Apostle John put it:

1 John 3: 2-3 KJV – “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

Prophecy does not have to be either faddish, other-worldly, or impractical if taught properly. Nor does it have to be a playground for fanatics. It can and should be green pastures for disciples.

Reasons for Study

There are many reasons why all believers should be interested in studying Bible prophecy. Some of the more important ones are listed below:

1) The Quantity — One-fourth to one-third of the Bible is prophetic in nature. In the Old Testament, this includes the Psalms, the Major and Minor Prophets, and many passages in the historical books. In the New Testament, entire books like 1 & 2 Thessalonians and Revelation are devoted to prophecy, as are major passages like Matthew 24 and 1 Peter 3. To ignore Bible prophecy is to ignore a significant portion of God’s Word, and we are told in 2 Timothy 3:16 that “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” — and that certainly includes Bible prophecy.

2) The Uniqueness — No other book in the world contains fulfilled prophecies. This includes the sayings of Buddha and Confucius, the Koran, the Hindu Vedras, and the Book of Mormon. And it certainly includes the ridiculous nonsensical quatrains of Nostradamas. 

In contrast, the Bible contains hundreds of specific prophecies that have already been fulfilled — prophecies about towns, cities, nations, empires, and political leaders, as well as prophecies about the Messiah. Consider, for example, the prophecy in the book of Isaiah that a man named Cyrus would be the one who would release the children of Israel from Babylonian captivity (Isaiah 44:28). And that is exactly what happened 142 years later (Ezra 1:1-3).

3) Validator of Scripture — Fulfilled prophecy is one of the best evidences I know of that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. As I stated above, the Bible contains hundreds of fulfilled secular prophecies pertaining to cities, nations, empires, and individuals. Isaiah prophesied that Babylon would fall to the Medes and Persians (Isaiah 13:17-20). 

Jeremiah predicted the Babylonian captivity of the Jews would last 70 years (Jeremiah 25:11-12). Daniel outlined in advance the precise order of four great Gentile empires (Daniel 2 and 7). The destruction of both Judah and Israel was foretold by Moses (Deuteronomy 28 and 29). In the New Testament, Jesus predicted the complete destruction of Jerusalem 40 years before it actually occurred (Luke 21:6).

4) Validator of Jesus — The prophetic scriptures validate Jesus as who He said He was — namely, God in the flesh. The Bible contains more than 300 prophecies about the First Coming of Jesus, but some of these are repetitive. There are actually 109 separate and distinct prophecies concerning the First Coming, and all of them were literally fulfilled. Every aspect of the life of Jesus was prophesied — the place of His birth, the nature of His birth, the quality of His ministry, the purpose of His life, and the agony of His death. 

Consider, for example, the prophecy in Psalm 22:16 that the Messiah’s hands and feet would be pierced. That prophecy was written by David about a thousand years before the birth of Jesus. It was written at a time when the only form of capital punishment among the Jewish people consisted of stoning. The literal fulfillment of so many prophecies in the life of one individual transcends any mere coincidence and serves to validate that Jesus was who He said He was — the divine Son of God.

5) Revealer of the Future — Prophecy serves to tell us some things that God wants us to know about the future (Deuteronomy 29:29 and Amos 3:7). God does not want us to know everything about the future, but there are some things we must know if we are to have a dynamic hope. Thus, prophecy assures us that Jesus is coming back, that He will resurrect us, and that He will take us to live forever with Him and God the Father. In this regard, Peter likens prophecy to “a lamp shining in a dark place” (2 Peter 1:19). 

Paul makes the same point in 1 Corinthians, chapter 2. He begins by observing that “no eye has seen, no ear has heard, nor has the mind of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” But in the next verse Paul says those things have been revealed to us by God through His Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:9-10).

6) Tool of Evangelism — Prophecy can be used as a very effective tool of evangelism, as illustrated in the story of Philip and the Eunuch (Acts 8:26ff). Philip used Isaiah’s great suffering lamb passage (Isaiah 53) to teach that Jesus is the Lamb who was slain for the sins of the world. Matthew and Peter both used fulfilled prophecy in the life of Jesus as one of their basic evangelistic tools. 

In fact, Peter referred to prophecy constantly in his first gospel sermon on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:14-39). He preached that Jesus had been crucified and resurrected in fulfillment of Hebrew prophecies. Later, Peter referred to fulfilled prophecy as one of the greatest evidences that Jesus was truly the Son of God (2 Peter 1:16-19).

7) Tool of Moral Teaching — People often overlook the fact that the Hebrew prophets were forthtellers as well as foretellers. In fact, the prophets spent most of their time using God’s Word to spotlight societal problems. They called their listeners to repentance, true worship, justice, and personal holiness. One of the great recurring themes of the prophets is that “obedience is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22 and Hosea 6:6). 

That statement means that in God’s eyes, obedience to His commands is more important than outward religious practices such as offering sacrifices. Prophecy is thus a great repository of moral teaching, and those moral principles are still relevant today. (See Amos 5:21-24; Micah 6:8; and Isaiah 58:3-9.)

8) Generator of Spiritual Growth — Prophetic knowledge encourages patient waiting (James 5:7-8); provokes earnest watching (Matthew 24:36,42); inspires dedicated work (2 Timothy 4:7-8); and enhances our hope (Titus 2:11-14). The result is holy living. Paul exhorts us to “behave properly as in the day,” because the time is at hand when the Lord will return (Romans 13:12-13). Likewise, Peter calls us to gird up our minds and be sober and holy as we look forward to the revelation of Jesus (1 Peter 1:13-15).

9) Understanding of Current Events — The Bible contains detailed prophecies about the end times we are living in, and there is just no way to fully understand much of what is happening today apart from those prophecies. Three characteristics of our day and time immediately come to mind: the intensifying decay of society, the growing apostasy in the Church, and the escalating crisis in the Middle East. 

All three of these situations are prophesied in detail in the Bible. We are told that society will become as violent and immoral as it was in the days of Noah (Matthew 24:37-39); that the Church will be assaulted with “doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1); and that all the nations of the world will come against Israel over the issue of who will control Jerusalem (Zechariah 12:23).

10) Signifier of the Season — One of the most exciting reasons for studying Bible prophecy is that it provides very definite signs that we are to watch for which will signify the season of the Lord’s return. It is true that we cannot know the date, but the Bible makes it clear that we can know the season if we are aware of the signs that we are to look for. The Apostle Paul made this point in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 when he wrote:

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 KJV – “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”

According to this passage, Jesus is coming like “a thief in the night” for the world, but those of us who are “sons of light” — that is, those of us who are indwelt by the Holy Spirit — should not be surprised when the Lord returns, because God’s Word gives us signs to watch for.

Paul made the same point again in Hebrews 10:25 where he admonished believers to not forsake the assembling of the saints, especially “as you see the day drawing near.” What day? He defines it in verse 27 as the day of judgment. So, Paul is making the point here that there are signs we can watch for that will clearly identify the fact that we are living in the season of the Lord’s return.

Jesus made the same point in His Olivet Discourse as recorded in Matthew 24. After specifying many end time signs, He said, “when you see all these things, recognize that He [Jesus] is near, right at the door” (Matthew 24:33).

Spiritual Food

God’s Prophetic Word is food for our spiritual growth. We need to take it off the shelf, open it up, and feast upon it — and we need to do so with believing hearts.

The book of Revelation promises blessings to those who read it (or hear it read) and who obey it (Revelation 1:3). It is the only book of the Bible to promise such a specific blessing, but all God’s Word is designed to bless us spiritually (Psalm 119), and that includes the Prophetic Word.

Bible prophecy, properly taught, can literally transform a person and a congregation. This will happen if the person or congregation can be convinced of two things regarding prophecy: 1) Jesus is returning, and 2) His return could occur any moment.

Regarding the first point, most Christians believe with their minds that Jesus is returning, but they do not believe with their hearts, and therefore their belief has no impact on their behavior. Regarding the second point, most Christians are unaware that the return of Jesus will be in two stages — first, the Rapture, and then the Second Coming. 

Because they know little or nothing about the Rapture, they have no understanding that the Lord could truly return at any moment. They believe that many prophecies — like the preaching of the Gospel to the whole world — must be fulfilled before the Lord can return, when the truth of the matter is that there is not one prophecy that must be fulfilled for the Rapture to occur.

Again, if a person or congregation can truly be convinced that Jesus is returning any moment, they will be transformed because they will be motivated to share the Gospel with others and to commit their lives to holiness. A commitment to evangelism and holiness! What more could a pastor hope for?

Bible prophecy does not just relate to the future. It has an important spiritual relevance to the way we live our lives in the present.

Originally published at Lamb & Lion Ministries

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The Fig Tree Is Alive: Are We Among The Generation That ‘Shall Not Pass Away’?

Breaking News Updates – December 20, 2023

The Fig Tree Is Alive: Are We Among The Generation That ‘Shall Not Pass Away’?

BY AMIR TSARFATI/HARBINGER’S DAILY DECEMBER 20, 2023

So, which generation was Jesus talking about when he said, “this generation shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:34)? He was speaking of the generation that will see the fig tree come back to life. But who is the fig tree and how long is a generation?

Hebrews 1 says, “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds…” So, here we are seeing that Jesus never contradicted a single verse from the prophets. In fact, He continued in the same mantle.

Toward the end of His ministry, Jesus was on the Mount of Olives surrounded by His disciples. None of His disciples were “Christian” at that point. They were Jewish.

So, Jesus taught his Jewish disciples while He was in Jerusalem. And to make it very clear, in the history of planet Earth, Jerusalem was never the capital of any other nation but Israel. So, here you have the Jewish Messiah speaking to His Jewish disciples in the Jewish capital of the Jewish people.

We have to understand that the questions He was asked by his disciples–to which He gave a great, lengthy, and detailed answer–were authentic Jewish issues related to the Jewish Temple, the Messiah, and the last days.

No Gentile at the time was thinking about the last days, the Messiah, or the Temple in Jerusalem. Jesus was talking to Jews about Jewish matters that only interested the Jews. He spoke on the Mount of Olives. That is why Matthew 24 is called the Olivet Discourse.

By the way, He was not angry with their questions. He understood exactly where they were coming from and took His time to give them a detailed answer. First, in verses 4 to 31, He spoke to His Jewish disciples about the future of the Jews. But then, starting in verse 32, He also gave them a different perspective of things to come. And He was talking about something else, someone else, another group of people which, by the way, they are also part of.

Learn from the Fig Tree

In Matthew 24:32-35, Jesus said, “Now learn the parable from the fig tree…” In the middle of His teaching on Israel and all the things Israel will go through, He stops to tell His disciples: “Now listen, I want you to learn a parable from the fig tree.” In other words, He makes it clear that what He says about the fig tree is not literally about a fig tree; it’s a parable of the fig tree–a symbol of something different. He is basically saying: Look, “when its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know…” It’s not “you think” and it’s not “you guess.” It’s “you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see…”

Again, it’s not when you talk about it, it’s not when you hope for it, and it’s not when you dream of it. It’s “When you see” (with your very eyes) “all these things, know that it is near.” Not 200 yards away, not 200 miles away. Where? “Right at the door.” Right there!

So, Jesus reminds the disciples, “Look, the fig tree, remember the fig tree (of Matthew 21:18-20)? That fig tree that died, it’s going to come back to life.” Then He said, “the generation that will see the ‘rebirth’ of that tree, that generation shall not pass away till all these things take place” (Matthew 24:32-35). What things? His coming back.

God’s Word Stands Forever

Heaven and earth will pass away, but Jesus’ words will not pass away. Just like God said through Isaiah: “The flower fades, the grass withers, but the Word of God stands forever” (40:8). Wow!

So, Jesus stopped His entire description of the end times of Israel to tell His disciples, “Now listen. I want to talk to you now, not as Israel, but as My followers. If you follow Me, you can escape destruction. And, if you’re following Me and alive to see the fig tree blooming… that’s it! That’s the last generation.” Wow!

Before we talk about the fig tree, let’s talk about the word “generation.” Scholars, theologians, teachers, and pastors have pondered and debated about the timeframe of a generation. Some say it’s 20 years, some 30 years, some 40 years, others say longer.

But none of those answers are correct. We need to understand that biblically, a generation has always referred to the longevity of mankind. That means the time between conception and natural death. So, the average lifespan of a group of people living at about the same time constitutes the length of a generation. Before the Flood, the Bible tells us the average lifespan of a man was over 900 years. Today, if a man makes it to 100, he’s a celebrity.

So, which generation was Jesus talking about when he said, “this generation shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:34)? He was speaking of the generation that will see the fig tree come back to life. Wow!

I believe He is referring to believers who witness the most significant end-time prophecy: the “rebirth” of the fig tree–the rebirth of Israel.

Israel Reborn

Israel in the Scriptures was described by three different types of trees: the vine, the fig tree, and the olive tree. Each of them was a symbol of something else. The vine symbolizes Israel’s spiritual privileges (Psalm 80, Isaiah 5, and Jeremiah 2). The fig tree symbolizes Israel’s national privileges (Hosea 9, Jeremiah 24, and, of course, Matthew 24). The olive tree represented Israel’s religious privileges (Hosea 14, Isaiah 17, Isaiah 24, Psalm 52, Psalm 128, and Romans 11). Romans 11 speaks specifically of Israel as the “good olive tree” and the Gentiles as the “wild olive tree.” Some of the branches of the original olive tree were chopped off, and the Gentiles, the wild olive tree, were grafted in.

So, Gentile believers are now partakers of the blessing with Israel–not instead of Israel. In fact, the Church can trust the promises of God because He keeps His covenant with Israel. And the fig tree is coming back to life! It was cursed, but it is not dead forever.

When the Jewish people started coming back to the land of Israel toward the end of the 1800s, they found exactly what Mark Twain wrote in his diary as a traveler: “I’ve never seen such a barren wasteland in my life where we hardly saw a living creature.” So God first inspired the Jewish people to return to their homeland. That is the meaning of “Zionism”–the Jewish belief that your place is in Zion. So, the desire to go to Israel was the beginning of that fig tree returning to life! In Ezekiel 36:8, God said: “But you, O mountains of Israel, you will put forth your branches and bear your fruit for My people Israel, for they will soon come.”

The Lord knew that there was no way that hundreds of thousands and later millions of Jews could thrive in a barren wasteland. It would never work. So what did the Lord do? He spoke fertility, and boom! Look what happened–today Israel exports food. While farm workers are only 3.8% of the workforce in Israel, they produce almost 100% of our food. Israeli cows are the most productive cows in the world. Israel leads the world in technology to extract water even from the air. Israel invented the drip irrigation system and exports desalination installations around the world. It uses solar energy like no other country does. And 90% of its wastewater is being purified and recycle for agriculture.

One of the smallest nations on earth, Israel is thriving. That’s God’s way of saying, “The fig tree is coming back to life.”

Ezekiel 36 talked about how God would heal the land in preparation for the Jews to return to their land. Then in Ezekiel 37, Ezekiel was brought to a valley full of dry bones. He was so terrified that he asked, “What is this?” The Lord replied, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; behold they say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope has perished. We are completely cut off!'” 

That means they’re alive, but barely. Like a person with bones and skin–but hopeless and thinking that God has forgotten all about him. That was the picture we saw when Jews were liberated from Nazi death camps. Men, women, and children barely alive. Skin and bones, but no hope. And collectively believing, “God has forgotten all about us.” But God had promised, “Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel” (Ezekiel 37:12).

Not Palestine! Not Arab Land! The Land of Israel!

God Has Done It

Then He said, “Then you will know that I am Yahweh, when I have opened your graves and caused you to come up out of your graves, My people. And I will put My Spirit within you, and you will come to life, and I will place you on your own land. Then you will know that I, Yahweh, have spoken and done it” (Ezekiel 37:13-14). Wow! And He has literally done that.

So, in 1948, the nation was born! Even then, Israel was born as a nation on the verge of annihilation every day–every single day of that year, the following year, and the following year after that. Every single day since 1948 has been a gift from God, because Israel was supposed to be destroyed!

The nations that came against Israel in 1948 have tried to destroy the land repeatedly and failed at every turn. What was it that they wanted in 1948? Oil? Gas? We had none of those. They wanted us to be cut off from being a nation so that the name of Israel would be remembered no more.

However, 1948 is also when we start counting a generation. Just consider what has changed since Israel’s modern founding. Israel was small, vulnerable, insecure, dangerous, and very poor. Compared to then, Israel today is safe, secure, and prosperous. But 75 years have passed since 1948.

I believe the Feasts of Trumpets, Yom Kippur, and Tabernacles will be fulfilled to the people of Israel when the Lord comes back. The Jewish people pray in Hebrew every morning: “May our eyes behold Your return to Zion with mercy.” They want Him to come, but they do not believe the Messiah is returning for a second time. They think He is coming for the first time.

Jewish people also understand that before the Messiah comes there will be a terrible time of tribulation. They believe that there has to be a great time of repentance. The repentance and God tabernacling physically on Earth with His people will happen as God fulfills those feasts to Israel just as He did with the first four feasts.

The importance of the Church and Israel is conveyed in God’s command in Numbers 10:1-2 for Moses to make two trumpets–two Silver trumpets. Why two? Why silver? Why trumpets? Trumpets are a means to announce the coming of someone. Silver is a precious metal, but not perfect. And two, because there are only two groups of people on earth that God called out, “You are My witnesses.” Israel in Isaiah 46 and the Church in Acts chapter 1.

Throughout the Old Testament history of Israel, the Church did not exist. But from the moment the Church was born, the nation of Israel was thrown out of the Land. Only since 1948 have the two co-existed to bear witness to the coming Messiah. The trumpets are sounding!

Are You Ready?

Some Christians are ready to go; others are simply tired. Either way, their attitude seems to be, “How long can we still stay here?” My response is Philippians 4:4: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” Paul went on to affirm, “The Lord is near.” That is why we need to rejoice, and why we need to “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).

What hope? Our Blessed Hope! (Titus 2:13).

What promises has He kept? All of them! Everything He said has happened. Israel is back in the Land just as He said. The fig tree is alive!

We can rejoice that we are in the generation to see the sign of Israel. And, we can bless the Holy One of Israel–Who is the Lamb of God, and the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Emmanuel–Prince of Peace, King of kings, and Lord of lords.

Yeshua is the “light of revelation to the Gentiles and the glory of [His] people Israel” (Luke 2:32). And, He’s coming again soon!

Originally published at Harbinger’s Daily – reposted with permission.

Cartoon – Follow Their Leader

A.F. BRANCO on January 4, 2024 at 5:00 am

A.F. Branco Cartoon – Many are concerned that China, like the Pide Piper, is brainwashing our youth pitting them against American values such as pushing antisemitism and endorsing the terrorist group Hamas through the use of Tic Tok a popular platform among the millennials.

Greatest US Threats: Preppers Reveal Insights With New Survey 💢

Breaking News Updates – November 25, 2023

Greatest US Threats: Preppers Reveal Insights With New Survey

BY MICHAEL SNYDER/END OF THE AMERICAN DREAM NOVEMBER 25, 2023

Millions of Americans are preparing for existential threats which could cause the complex systems that we depend upon on a daily basis to fail at any time. A recent survey gives us some insight into what the prepping community is thinking right now.

The results of a survey of preppers that was recently conducted by Fortitude Ranch has been released.  The CEO of Fortitude Ranch, Drew Miller, says that preppers are “folks who watch events and read up on threats” and so they have a really good feel for what is really going on out there.  

Today, millions of Americans are preparing for the collapse of society because we really are facing very serious existential threats which could cause the complex systems that we depend upon on a daily basis to fail at any time.  So I was very interested to examine the results of this new survey, because it gives us some insight into what the prepping community is thinking right now.

Only preppers were permitted to participate in the survey, and those that responded were asked to identify the three greatest threats to our society.

More than 50 percent selected “loss of electric grid” as one of the greatest threats.  I would not have guessed that this would be the number one response, but without a doubt this is a potential danger that our politicians have neglected.  

Our sun is becoming increasingly active, and it is just a matter of time before a solar storm does a tremendous amount of damage to the grid.  And once the U.S. is involved in a nuclear war, we won’t have a functioning grid at all.

“Economic collapse”, “bioengineered viruses” and “domestic civil war due to divided country” were all selected by more than 40 percent of respondents.

Obviously, I was glad to see “economic collapse” so high on the list, because I write about that so much.

And I think that “bioengineered viruses” is something that preppers are very focused on right now because we have just been through the COVID pandemic.  We are certainly living during a time when great pestilences will become increasingly common, and so it is imperative for all of us to be prepared for devastating outbreaks of disease.

As for our country being divided, I really do think that 2024 is going to be the most chaotic election year that we have ever seen, and that is extremely unfortunate.

More than 30 percent of respondents identified “terrorist attacks” as one of the greatest threats that we are facing.

But no other response even reached the 20 percent threshold.

A “nuclear war arising from Chinese invasion of Taiwan” barely squeaked over the 10 percent mark, and a “nuclear war arising from Ukraine-Russia conflict” was way under 10 percent.

If this had been a survey of the general population, I could understand such low numbers.

Natural disasters also ranked very low in this survey.

Maybe that is because the Yellowstone supervolcano was the only one that was specifically asked about.

Personally, I would have added an eruption of Mt. Rainier, a tsunami on the east coast, a tsunami on the west coast, a historic earthquake along the New Madrid fault zone and “the Big One” in California as potential responses on this survey.

We are far more vulnerable than most people realize, and I am entirely convinced that there will be unprecedented natural disasters in the United States during the years ahead as our very shaky planet becomes even more unstable.

Another major threat that I would have liked to see asked about in this survey is the rapidly growing global food crisis.

Last year, 2.4 billion people did not have enough food to eat, and 750 million of them experienced chronic hunger.

And the numbers for this year will inevitably be even worse.

In fact, the numbers have been getting steadily worse since 2015.

But because we live in a very wealthy nation that still has lots of food, most Americans are not concerned about the global famine that has already started at all.

I also noticed that “large asteroid strike” was just one notch from the bottom on this survey.

Apparently this is something that most preppers are not concerned about at all.

But they should be.

It won’t happen tomorrow, but eventually the entire world will become aware of a tremendous threat that is looming in the heavens.

Needless to say, there is a lot of disagreement about what our greatest threats are, but just about everyone understands that something has gone seriously wrong with our society.

And that explains why gun ownership in the U.S. has surged to heights that we have never seen before in the entire modern history of our nation.

According to a new NBC News national poll, a whopping 52 percent of U.S. voters “say they or someone in their household owns a gun”…

More than half of American voters — 52% — say they or someone in their household owns a gun, per the latest NBC News national poll.

That’s the highest share of voters who say that they or someone in their household owns a gun in the history of the NBC News poll, on a question dating back to 1999.

In 2019, 46% of Americans said that they or someone in their household owned a gun, per an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll. And in February 2013, that share was 42%.

Meanwhile, millions of Americans are stockpiling emergency food and other supplies.

They can feel that great chaos is coming, even if they do not fully grasp all of the specifics of the very serious threats that we are now facing.

If you have not been getting prepared for the collapse of society, I would very strongly encourage you to do so.

What we have been through during the past few years is just the tip of the iceberg, and the clock is ticking…

Originally published at End Of The American Dream – reposted with permission.

Global Conspiracy to Steal the Land of Israel by James Sundquist

This is a reposting of a great slide series by author James Sundquist. James is an expert in discernment ministries and Gospel acoustic guitar playing. James compiled this years ago but my oh my, how appropriate it is for today. It is cutting edge in order to understand what in the world is going on in our times. For your spiritual nourishment, please watch it all! In Christ, Pastor Steve <><

Global Conspiracy to Steal the Land of Israel by James Sundquist

US Debt Spiral Is Reaching Terminal Phase – Economic Reset Is The Only Way Out

Finally an honest article about our hopeless financial situation in America. Politicians tell us that we are leaving a huge debt to our children. Baloney. We are 33 TRILLION dollars in debt and paying it off will never happen. 99% of people have no clue as to how much one trillion dollars is. (One million times one million!). The United States has dug its own grave but globalists could not care less because an economic reset, Agenda 2030 and One World Order is what they truly desire. Blessings in Christ, Pastor Steve <><

Breaking News Updates – October 05, 2023

US Debt Spiral Is Reaching Terminal Phase – Economic Reset Is The Only Way Out

BY MICHAEL SNYDER/ECONOMIC COLLAPSE BLOG OCTOBER 05, 2023

At the beginning of June, our national debt was sitting at $31,467,639,287,894.39. Today, it has risen to $33,442,148,619,617.43. That means that we have added almost two trillion dollars to the national debt in just three months. It is the largest single debt in the entire history of our planet, and it will never be paid off.

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If you are going to go out, you might as well do it with a bang.  At the beginning of June, our national debt was sitting at $31,467,639,287,894.39.  Today, it has risen to $33,442,148,619,617.43.  That means that we have added almost two trillion dollars to the national debt in just three months.  

It is the largest single debt in the entire history of our planet, and it will never be paid off.  Our debt spiral has reached a terminal phase, and all we can do now is prolong the agony.  

If we keep taking on more debt at an exponential rate, we may be able to extend our seemingly endless party for a little while longer.  As for the bright future that our children and grandchildren were supposed to have, we destroyed that a long time ago, and so it doesn’t really matter what we do now.

What our politicians are doing to us is truly a crime against humanity.

And I am not just talking about the United States.  All over the world, politicians have been on the greatest debt binge in the history of the human race, and for quite a few years it seemed like they were getting away with it.

But now interest rates are rising and there is great turmoil in the bond markets.  The following comes from CNN…

A slump in government bonds around the world has pushed up the cost of some nations’ debt to levels not seen in more than a decade. That’s bad news for governments in the red but also for the wallets of millions of mortgage borrowers, stock investors and businesses.

The sell-off has been fueled by expectations among investors that the world’s major central banks will keep interest rates “higher for longer” to bring inflation down to their targets.

It works like this: Governments looking to raise cash for public services and investments issue bonds. A bond provides a way to borrow money from investors for a set length of time, with the obligation to make regular interest payments.

In recent weeks, bond yields have reached very alarming levels.

If this continues, governments all over the world will soon be facing enormous problems…

When official interest rates rise, so do investors’ expectations for returns on bonds, known as yields. This creates an incentive for investors to sell the bonds they currently hold and buy newly issued ones that offer higher interest payments. Selling bonds reduces prices. So, in short, when yields rise, bond prices fall.

And yields have most definitely been rising: The yield on 30-year US government bonds, also known as Treasuries, hit 5% on Tuesday for the first time since 2007. In the United Kingdom, the yield on 30-year bonds also reached 5% this week, the highest level in more than two decades.

Yields on German long-dated bonds are back to levels last seen on the eve of the eurozone debt crisis in 2011. Yields on Italy’s 10-year bonds hit 5% on Wednesday, the highest level since 2012, when that crisis was in full swing.

There is no way out of this mess now.

If we would have acted responsibly all along, we would have gotten a much different outcome.

But at this point our fate is pretty much sealed.

Of course our politicians never intended to change course.  In fact, they continue to spend money like drunken sailors.

As Zero Hedge has aptly noted, the U.S. government recently added 275 billion dollars to the national debt in a single day…

The US added – checks notes – $275 billion in debt in, uh, ONE DAY

Total US debt is now $33.442 trillion, hit $33 trillion just 2 weeks ago, and on pace to rise by $1 trillion in 1 month.

What makes all of this even more frustrating is that they aren’t even spending the money efficiently.

And in many instances, it is being wasted on extremely frivolous things…

Federal officials have been criticized after splashing $3.3 billion on swanky new office furniture during the pandemic, when almost all staff worked from home.

The egregious spending habits of the US government included almost $250,000 on solar-powered picnic tables for the CDC, and $120,000 on plush Ethan Allen leather chairs.

We are borrowing and spending money at an exponential pace, and we all know how this is going to end.

It is going to end with the U.S. dollar becoming worth little more than toilet paper.

This is a point that author Robert Kiyosaki made very eloquently during a recent interview…

Robert Kiyosaki, renowned author of the phenomenal personal finance book “Rich Dad, Poor Dad,” shared a piece of his mind on how to decentralize from the fiat currency in these scary times of a broken banking system. According to him, the dollar has been losing its purchasing power and not long from now, it would just be worth less than “toilet paper.”

During his appearance on the recent episode “Decentralize.TV” hosted by Mike Adams and Todd Pitner, Kiyosaki pointed out how the lack of financial education in the United States blinds the people and even President Joe Biden’s administration in tackling the current economic downturn. “Just recently they raised the debt ceiling again… and because our schools have no financial education, no idea of credit rating, our debt increased by $1.8 trillion. The United States via Fitch Rating services downgraded the U.S. debt from AAA to AA-plus. We are on a collision course for disaster.”

It is true.

We really are on a “collision course” with disaster, but most Americans don’t realize what is happening.

Most Americans seem to believe that there will never be any serious consequences for all the borrowing and spending that we have been doing.

And that is because most Americans don’t understand basic economics.

When your debt rises much faster than your income does for an extended period of time, it is always going to result in pain.

Every single time.

If you have ever found yourself drowning in debt, you know exactly what I am talking about.

Well, now our entire country is drowning in debt, and our politicians are adding hundreds of billions more to that debt every single month.

This is not going to end well, and that should be obvious to everyone.

For the moment, our politicians are doing their best to keep the debt spiral humming, but the clock is ticking and time is quickly running out…

Originally published at The Economic Collapse Blog – reposted with permission.

The Day Israel Changed Forever – A Prophetic Perspective

The Psalm 83 War has been forecasted by prophecy watchers for a long time. In a nutshell, this prophecy tells us that prior to the Great Tribulation period and the War of Gog and Magog (with Russia, Iran and Turkey), Israel will defeat her local enemies and increase her land mass. This could be the beginning of that period. Maranatha, Pastor Steve <><

Breaking News Updates – October 08, 2023   Dear PNW subscribers, We have entered into a new era in which the Middle East will never be the same.  Every major news organization is covering current developments going on in Israel and we will do our best to include stories and links to the most important developments.  We have been blessed to develop many friendships and associations with people and organizations on the ground in Israel and hope to bring you stories from those living through the current situation so that you can receive first hand information.  Much of this information will change rapidly and our updates may be more frequent or at different times of the day to keep you informed on new developments. While the mainstream news is analyzing the geopolitical realities on the ground we also plan to bring you a prophetic perspective on what is happening.  How do such events tie in with God’s Word about Israel and the end times?  How will the involvement of other nations such as Lebanon, Jordan, Iran, Russia, the United States as well as the United Nations impact the prophetic picture? While we are still in the early days of analyzing how all of this will play out in the bigger picture we believe there are several prophetic themes to be watching at this time.  One of those that we believe every person should familiarize themselves with is the potential impact of the Psalm 83 war. The Psalm 83 War In Psalm 83 Asaph petitions the Lord about about a confederacy of nations that will rise up against Israel.  There are many prophetic scholars who argue that this event is a reference to a future event and not something that has happened in the past.  If this perspective is right then Israel will find itself in another multi front war against several nations and groups of people in the Middle East.  Those groups include not only the Palestinians/Hamas/Islamic Jihad but also Hezbollah/Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Syria.  Many people are familiar with the war of Gog/Magog found in Ezekiel 38 which involves Iran, Turkey and Russia invading Israel.  However where are Israel’s other traditional enemies?  None of those named in Psalm 83 confederation are included in the Ezekiel 38 Gog/Magog Confederacy. Many prophetic scholars believe the Psalm 83 war will precede the Magog Invasion and result in Israel defeating many of it’s neighboring countries, acquiring expanded territory and then proceeding to dwell safely in the Land (for a time).  In essence the Psalm 83 war sets the stage for the Magog Invasion. We are already hearing intelligence reports that the Hamas attack had the support of Iranian and Russian intelligence. Will the current conflict with Hamas expand to include other nations and if so, will this set the stage for this prophetic battle of Psalm 83? We encourage you to go here and watch Prophecy expert Bill Salus give an interview on the background to the Pslam 83 War and what might be coming next in the Middle East. If you have not been able to catch up with latest developments please watch this video from our friends “The Israel Guys” who are based in Israel and provide a Christian perspective on events with boots on the ground.  We will be sharing their regular updates here. Lastly, we know that God is in control and prayer can change things.  Let’s lift up those in Israel in prayer and we will be providing opportunities for you to contribute directly to those in need as well. Sincerely, Kade Hawkins Prophecy News Watch

Big Tech Beast System? Technology Tycoons Influencing Society Worldwide

Breaking News Updates – September 21, 2023

Big Tech Beast System? Technology Tycoons Influencing Society Worldwide

BY MONDO GONZALES/PROPHECY WATCHERS SEPTEMBER 21, 2023

The coming Beast system will require political, economic, social, governmental, religious, and technological advances that will enable the Antichrist to accomplish all of his desires.

Technology is advancing at a staggering pace. But it merely parallels advances in other arenas the coming Antichrist will leverage to fulfill his evil plans to enslave humanity during the Tribulation.

The coming Beast system will require political, economic, social, governmental, religious, and technological advances that will enable the Antichrist to accomplish all of his desires.

We must also remember that the Antichrist needs help to accomplish his goals. Even though he is empowered by the Dragon himself (Rev 13:2, 4), the Antichrist manipulates a coalition of ten kings to implement his worldwide Beast system. He will then subdue or remove three of them at a future time. Let’s consider how the Scriptures describe these ten “kings.”

Daniel 7:19-20 KJV – “Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.”

Daniel 7:24 KJV – “And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.”

Revelation 17:12-13 KJV – “And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.”

From the above passages, we learn three characteristics of these ten “kings”:

1. The Greek word for king (basileus) in Revelation 17:12 offers a broader nuance than merely what we understand regarding the word “king.” One of the best Greek lexicons (BDAG) has the following as its second entry: One who possesses unusual or transcendent power.

This meaning seems consistent with Revelation 17:12, where we are told that these ten figures do not have a kingdom yet but will receive authority to rule as kings for the final “hour” of the Antichrist’s (Beast’s) reign in the seven-year Tribulation period. We will call them the “Ten Influencers” because they do have “unusual power” or some valuable level of authority that the Antichrist will seek to leverage (Rev 17:13).

2. They are not required to be in governmental or ruling positions at the time of their arrangement with the Antichrist.

3. When the time comes, they will give their significant influence or power to the Beast and in return, given the ability to rule with him for a short period in his final kingdom (Rev 17:13).

There are a variety of interpretations of who the ten kings are. Some see them as leaders over geographical regions. This could be true, but as I mentioned above, they do not need to be actual governmental officials or literal kings. Instead, they could be what we know as oligarchs or technocrats, who will one day give their authority (technology/wealth/influence) to the Antichrist in exchange for being allowed to rule in his Beast system.

Financial Oligarchs (Tycoons)

When addressing technology, it is relevant to note that technological research and development is expensive. We are witnessing in our day the super-rich not often sticking to the one industry which made them wealthy, but instead spreading their wealth into sometimes completely disparate technologies or fields of research. For example, Elon Musk is involved in Twitter, Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, OpenAi, and the Boring company.

It’s not rocket science to recognize that technology tycoons, with staggering amounts of money, are capable of influencing society on a worldwide scale. This influence can include shaping the political landscape through outright bribes or the political lobby system. This massive level of impact doesn’t require them to be in actual power or governmental positions. Instead, they wield their influence through proxies who purchase access to greedy politicians seeking to magnify their power.

Technological Oligarchs (Technocrats)

These technocrats partner with governments, NGOs, and financial institutions. One organization with extensive official and unofficial agreements with technocrats is the World Economic Forum (WEF).

The WEF is dedicated to seeing a complete “reset” of the way life on Planet Earth functions. They are brazenly presenting their vision and pursuing technology to accomplish their goals by the year 2030 (known as Agenda 2030 and the Great Reset).

In his book, The Fourth Industrial Revolution, Klaus Schwab highlighted 21 different up-and-coming technologies that he claimed will “break into the public domain to a significant degree,” and cause great shifts “to individuals, organizations, government and society.” The following is Klaus’ list of game-changing technologies:

In addition, some ancillary technologies include: nanotechnology, quantum computing, biotechnology, the Internet of Things, decentralized consensus, fifth-generation (5G) wireless technologies, and satellite Internet technology for worldwide distribution.

It is mind-boggling to think of the influence these technologies will have on world society — and how they will serve the purpose of the Antichrist:

Satellite Internet Connectivity

Amazon seeks to put up 3,236 satellites by the end of the decade. Called the Kuiper system (or Project Kuiper). They have two launches planned for 2023 and service expected to arrive to customers in late 2024.

OneWeb sought an initial 650 satellites. As of February 2023 they had 542 active satellites in low earth orbit.

Starlink (Elon Musk). Over 4,500 satellites were working in orbit by May, 2023, with plans for over 42,000 within five years. Currently over 1.5 million active subscribers in 50+ countries with global mobile phone service to be implemented in 2023.

China is planning to deploy 40,000 of is own satellites to pursue its agenda, claiming to desire additional Internet coverage across its expansive geography. Critics note that such technology can also be used for surveillance and control.

Iridium started in 1998 and now has 82 active satellites and a partnership with Qualcomm for Android users.

Globalstar Communications became functional in 1998 with 75 current satellites and functionality with the Apple iPhone 14.

Surveillance

Facial recognition, camera technology, data acquisition through social media and Internet.

Artificial Intelligence

Most of the top 10 financial and technological oligarchs are involved in the research and advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI). In his 2018 book, A.I. Superpowers — China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order, Kai-Fu Lee predicted, “Instead of dispersion of industry profits across different companies and regions, we will begin to see greater and greater concentration of these astronomical sums in the hands of a few.” This certainly sounds like financial oligarchs who wield incredible power and influence.

AI needs three things to work effectively: big data, computing power, and algorithm engineers. Government policies supporting AI are also helpful. To help accomplish the computing power requirement, many of these same technological oligarchs are investing hundreds of millions of dollars in quantum computers, which are billions of times faster than modern supercomputers! It comes as no surprise that Google, Microsoft, and IBM are some of this field’s leaders.

Biotechnology

Elon Musk is heavily involved in connecting the human brain to technology. His “Neuralink” was given FDA approval for human trials in May 2023.

Multi-billionaire software developer Bill Gates is pursuing implantable contraception, nano vaccine technology, and sub-cutaneous microchip implanting. Backed by his Foundation, MIT researchers are developing a method of recording a patient’s vaccination history through invisible dye injected under the skin.

Genetically-Modified Farming

Bill Gates has also spread his oligarchical influence further than any other. He has now become the largest private landowner of farmland in the United States. Presidential candidate Robert Kennedy, Jr. observed, “Gates has been [expanding] his power over global populations by buying devalued assets at fire-sale prices and maneuvering for monopoly control over public health…”

Combined with his investments in global communications, digital currencies, high tech surveillance, data harvesting systems, and artificial intelligence, Bill Gates is the quintessential technocrat.

Censorship

Many financial and technological oligarchs are using their social media platforms and data acquisition to surveil, censor, cancel, deplatform, and shame those not deemed “woke enough” or willing to follow their own idiosyncratic rules and politically correct narratives. Many U.S. lawmakers and officials actually co-conspire with big tech oligarchs, encouraging them to police (censor) content more aggressively.

Innovation Zones

Nevada governor Steve Sisolak recently proposed giving corporations who own significant portions of land in Nevada a status equivalent to counties. They would be able to impose taxes, form school districts, courts of law, and provide other government services.

What Lies Ahead

As we look at end-time prophetic events coming to pass, it is becoming increasingly apparent that some of the most influential entities in both global policy and societal changes are not found in governments at all. Instead, multi-national financial and technological oligarchs are eager to conform the world to their own technocratic purposes.

Could these figures be the Ten Kings (influencers) who give their “authority and power to the Beast (Antichrist)” and in return “receive authority to rule as kings with the Beast for one hour” (Rev 17:12-13)?

Time will tell, but a compelling case can certainly be made that the technology these Ten Figures control will help the Antichrist consolidate and enforce his tyrannical rule over the entire earth.

The spirit of the Antichrist is here now — and the Antichrist is coming. Thankfully, greater is He who is in us (and is coming again soon) than he who is in the world! (1 John 4:1-4)!

Mondo Gonzales is the co-host of Prophecy Watchers and will be hosting/speaking at one of the largest Prophecy Conferences in the country in Norman, Oklahoma – Oct 5-8.

This conference features over twenty of the leading voices in the world of Bible Prophecy and will take an in-depth look at current events in America, Israel and around the world.

For Conference Details – Click Here

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