Saturday, September 14, 2024

AI-Summarizer used on Transcription from Pastors Point of View 319, by Dr. Andy Woods. On Global tyranny.

AI-Summarizer used on Transcription from Pastors Point of View 319, by Dr. Andy Woods. On Global tyranny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo3xkqeRwkg&t=190s 

Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. (Daniel 7:23).

The text discusses global tyranny, highlighting its prophetic significance as foreseen in the Book of Daniel for the End of the Age. In Daniel 7:23, it mentions a fourth Beast representing a distinct Kingdom that will dominate the earth. This concept aligns with the idea of a runaway Global government predicted by the Bible to exist prior to Jesus' second coming. Presently, we see examples of this with the rise of global tech censorship as a form of control in society.

Many significant historical events can be traced to the UK and other European countries due to the significance of Nebuchadnezzar's Dream in Daniel 2. This dream foretold the rise and fall of empires that would impact Israel, from the Babylonian captivity to the second Advent.

The final form of government described in the dream, with feet of iron and clay and ten toes, is believed to represent a revived empire linked to ancient Rome. The ten toes, or ten horns, are seen as part of a futuristic New World Order that is eurocentric, stemming from the cultural inheritance of ancient Rome. This connection between the feet and the legs of iron signifies that the future empire will arise from the cultural legacy of Rome, playing a significant role in shaping world events. Many stories related to Tech tyranny, Tech censorship, and global censorship are emerging mostly from Europe, foreshadowing what may soon dominate the rest of the world. This shift towards a Dark Ages mentality is eroding the freedom of speech that many have fought to preserve. People are now being penalized for speech crimes, solely based on their social media posts, or even thought crimes, such as praying in front of abortion clinics. Authorities in Europe are enforcing these restrictions, leading to arrests for seemingly innocuous actions. This crackdown on free speech and individual rights is a dangerous trend that is spreading globally, starting in Europe. The principles of the Bill of Rights and freedom of speech, once foundational in western democracies, are now being threatened by this wave of censorship. The rise of Tech censorship is further exacerbating the situation, as individuals face consequences for expressing their views online. This concerning development marks a significant shift in the landscape of freedom of expression, and highlights the urgent need to protect these fundamental rights in the face of increasing control and monitoring in our digital world.

Jonathan Turley, a legal scholar, highlighted in a blog post dated August 22, 2024, that the United Kingdom is cracking down on free speech. He presented examples of individuals being arrested for seemingly harmless acts, such as sending a tweet while drunk, wearing an anti-police t-shirt, insulting someone's boyfriend, or even singing a song. These actions, which used to be protected under free speech laws, are now being criminalized. One such case involved Nicholas Brock, a Neo-Nazi, who was sentenced for his extremist views, even though he did not pose an immediate threat to others. The judge justified the harsh sentence by deeming Brock as dangerous due to his ideologies, which were considered intolerant and hateful. Furthermore, the proposed criminal justice incitement to violence or hatred and hate crimes offenses law in Ireland aims to combat toxic ideologies by criminalizing the possession of material deemed hateful, thus raising concerns about free speech rights.

Additionally, UK Home Secretary emphasized the need to crackdown on harmful beliefs, particularly online hate speech, targeting women. She stressed the importance of addressing extremism to protect communities and democracy. Cooper highlighted the rise of online radicalization among young people, which threatens social cohesion and the foundation of free speech. Moreover, the UK's laws criminalizing speech have come under scrutiny for being vague and allowing for arbitrary enforcement. For instance, the Public Order Act 1986 prohibits the expression of racial hatred, which includes speech that is deemed threatening or abusive towards a particular group or individual based on their race, color, nationality, or ethnic origin. This broad interpretation can lead to arrests based on the likelihood of stirring up racial hatred, rather than intent.

The crackdown on free speech in the UK and Europe is evident in the prosecution of individuals for their beliefs or online expressions, rather than their actions. This trend towards thought policing and restrictions on personal ideologies poses a significant threat to free speech rights and raises concerns about censorship and the erosion of democratic values.

 Jonathan Turley wrote an article titled "Free Speech CEO Becomes the Latest Target of European Censors" on August 22, 2024. The CEO of Telegram, Pavel Durov, age 39, was arrested in France for not complying with demands to censor content on his messaging app. This highlights the global trend of censorship that is starting to emerge in Europe and may spread worldwide.

The situation with Pavel Durov is seen as a chilling escalation of censorship, as he created Telegram to allow for free speech. The allegations of fraud and child abuse against him seem to be exaggerated, as there is no concrete evidence of any wrongdoing. Durov's arrest sets a dangerous precedent for other tech CEOs who value freedom of speech on their platforms.

The arrest of Durov also reflects a broader issue with European laws that control speech on the internet. The vague and overbroad nature of these laws can be used to silence dissenting voices and stifle free expression. It is concerning that CEOs like Durov are being targeted and arrested for not adhering to these restrictive laws.

The actions taken by French authorities against Durov have far-reaching implications for other tech companies like Rumble and Twitter. The threat of censorship and arrest looms over any CEO who dares to prioritize free speech over government demands. The case of Durov highlights the risks associated with standing up for freedom of speech in an increasingly censorious environment.

Europe's push for stricter censorship measures is not just limited to tech companies. Politicians like Hillary Clinton are seeking to use European laws to impose censorship on Americans as well. The fear is that once tech CEOs buckle under pressure and comply with censorship demands, free speech will be severely restricted on a global scale.

The trend of targeting tech CEOs for their commitment to free speech raises concerns about the future of online discourse. The prospect of global censorship poses a threat to the free exchange of ideas and information. If governments continue to crack down on platforms that prioritize free speech, the world may see a significant erosion of online freedoms in the years to come.

In this context, the actions taken by European authorities against Pavel Durov are not just about one individual but about the broader implications for online speech and expression. Tech CEOs are increasingly being pressured to conform to government censorship demands or face severe consequences. The case of Durov serves as a cautionary tale for other tech companies that prioritize free speech in an environment that is increasingly hostile to dissenting voices.

Overall, the arrest of Pavel Durov highlights the growing threats to free speech online and the role of tech CEOs in defending this fundamental right. The global trend of censorship is a concerning development that could have far-reaching implications for the future of online discourse and information sharing. As governments continue to tighten their grip on online platforms, the fight for free speech in the digital age becomes ever more urgent.

The arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov in Europe has left other tech company CEOs, like Rumble CEO Chris Pavlovski, nervous about the implications for free speech. Pavlovski recently announced his departure from Europe after French authorities detained Durov. This incident has raised concerns about the chilling effect on free speech and privacy on platforms like Telegram. The investigation into Telegram's alleged failure to cooperate with law enforcement on issues like child sex abuse, drug trafficking, fraud, and terrorism is seen as an attack on free speech. Critics have raised concerns about the Digital Services Act in the European Union, which they argue could undermine free speech across the continent. The law has been criticized as vague and potentially dangerous, with recent examples of attempts to suppress freedom of expression beyond the EU borders, including warnings to Elon Musk about sharing content that European authorities deem unsafe. This trend of censorship is growing, with platforms like Rumble facing restrictions in countries like Brazil, adding to the concern about the erosion of free speech and information control.

The European Commission is investigating Telegram for potentially violating EU digital rules by providing inaccurate user numbers. The investigation is in conjunction with France's probe into criminal activity on the messaging platform, which led to the arrest of CEO Pavel Durov, who was taken into custody in Paris. The incident has sparked global reactions, with many viewing it as part of a broader Western government crackdown on free speech. The motivation behind these actions appears to be a desire to control information available on various platforms, such as limiting access to certain content and viewpoints. This trend is not limited to Europe, as it is also manifesting in countries like Brazil. The Prophet Daniel's prediction of such information control in the modern age, as described in Daniel 7:23, seems to be coming to fruition. The situation raises concerns about censorship and restrictions on what people can see, hear, watch, and read globally, impacting the flow of information and freedom of expression in various regions beyond Europe.

Politicians and former users of the online platform X expressed disapproval on social media after Brazil banned the site for failing to name a legal representative. Elon Musk criticized the Brazilian government, accusing them of crushing free speech while claiming to support democracy. He warned of similar censorship in the United States if certain candidates were elected. Musk highlighted attacks on free speech globally and emphasized the importance of paying attention to the issue. He referenced a statement from Shawn Maguire suggesting that western countries were at risk of losing their freedom of expression. Musk raised concerns about the suppression of speech in Europe and Brazil, warning that it could spread to the US. He criticized the use of broad laws to censor speech and emphasized the importance of defending free expression.

Elon Musk has expressed concerns that a potential win by Camala Harris in the upcoming election could pose challenges for his social media platform in the US, similar to what happened in Brazil. Musk highlighted the increasing attacks on free speech in 2024 and warned that if Harris and her running mate Tim Walls come to power, it could lead to restrictions on social media platforms. If Musk's predictions prove true, it could have significant implications for the social media landscape in the US, impacting user base, revenue, and overall market standing. This raises questions about the future of free speech and the role of social media platforms in political discourse. The similarities in the articles from ben. com and the concerns raised by Musk indicate a shared theme of potential threats to social media platforms under a new administration.

Meta Platforms CEO and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg admitted on Monday that the Biden administration "repeatedly pressured" his team for months in 2021 to censor content related to COVID-19, including content from ordinary Americans. (by Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just the News.)

Mark Zuckerberg admitted that the Biden Administration pressured Facebook in 2021 to censor Covid-19 content, including humor and satire, even from ordinary American citizens. The CEO acknowledged that the company ultimately decided what to remove and when, expressing regret for not being more vocal about government pressure. Zuckerberg also revealed that Facebook demoted a story about Hunter Biden's laptop due to FBI warnings about potential Russian disinformation, which turned out to be inaccurate. In response, he changed the company's policies to wait for fact-checking before taking action on stories. The House Judiciary Committee commended Zuckerberg's admission as a win for free speech, criticizing the government's influence on content removal during critical moments like elections and public health emergencies. The article highlights the dangers of government coercion in controlling online information and emphasizes the importance of upholding free speech rights. 

 

https://jonathanturley.org/2024/08/22/the-united-kingdom-unleashes-crackdown-on-free-speech/

https://jonathanturley.org/2024/08/26/freepavel-telegram-ceo-becomes-latest-target-of-european-censors/ 

https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/brazil-bans-x-outrage-spreads-elon-musks-social-media-platform-suspended 

https://www.techopedia.com/news/telegram-arrest-leaves-other-ceos-nervous-in-europe

https://www.oldharbournews.com/content/free-speech-red-lines-drawn-rumble-ceo

https://www.rt.com/news/603225-eu-investigation-telegram-users/

https://justthenews.com/nation/free-speech/mark-zuckerberg-admits-biden-administration-pressured-facebook-censor-americans 

https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/08/40667273/elon-musk-says-kamala-harris-win-could-mean-trouble-for-x-it-will-happen-in-america-too-if-kamalawal 

https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1829624971909357576 

 

 

Monday, September 9, 2024

Salvation. Overcoming. Repentance.

(Salvation, Overcoming and Perservering, The Relationship and the Heart Condition, and Repentance).

[Salvation]
1 Corinthians 3:10-15 establishes the truth about Salvation, works, and the Bema judgement.
1) Faith in Christ is the Foundation of Salvation, which only He can lay, not by our works, only His work.
- There is no Jesus + "___".
- It is by Faith ONLY, not by works. (Ephesians 2:8-10)
- He is the one who finishes the work. (Philippians 1:5-6)
- We bring nothing to the table of Salvation.
- We bring nothing to the table of Sanctification either.

2) Everything else built (works) upon that Foundation is subject to testing (Bema Judgment), as to whether it was:
- His work through you [Gold, Silver, Precious Gems]
- Your work through yourself [Wood, Hay, Stubble].
- All will get the Garment of Salvation
- some will get Robes of Righteousness
- there will be some who get crowns
- and there will be some who get no rewards at the Bema
- but they (ALL) will be saved, some as by fire (1 Corinthians 3).

3) All who call upon Him then are saved and redeemed. (Romans 10:11-14)
- All "real" believers stand before Him, because He is able to make them stand.
- All who are in Christ, will be Resurrected or Raptured at Redemption.
- None miss the Resurrection or Rapture of the body.

4) This leaves no room then for "Carnal Christian" or Christians who miss the Redemption of the Body, because they are not ready by or because of [insert falsehood here].
The Body of Christ is not joined to Him, dismembered.
We ALL (the Body of believers) will stand before Him at the Bema.
___
[Overcoming / Perservering]

Overcoming and Persevering is by our walk of faith in His finished work (Tetelestai), until either our death and resurrection or our rapture. It's all His work.
We overcome by our Faith, because He overcomes through us by His finished work. (1 John 5:4-5)
We will (unfortunately) trip and transgress during this limbo of life in the imperfect.
Until we either die and are resurrected, or are raptured when we all are completed in Redemption.
For this we have Jesus our advocate who is quick and willing to immediately forgive and cleanse us.
(1 John 2:1-2)
Again, He is the one who finishes the work. (Philippians 1:5-6)
It comes down to those who are "TRULY" saved, will still sin until we are perfected, but they will constantly come to the Lord for the daily washing. Remember the parable about washing the feet? (John 13)

[The Relationship - Heart Condition]
In John 10 we see this remarkable statement about those who are "In Christ" being Once Saved, Always Saved (OSAS). It is however, conditional upon a relationship with Christ, which is where most fail in their understanding of it.
| John 10:27-30
|
| My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.
| I give them eternal life, and they will never perish.
| No one can snatch them out of My hand.
| My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all.
| No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.
| I and the Father are one.
So in that sense... Once you are saved, you will always be saved.
Why? Because you will keep coming to Him daily, overcoming and persevering until He completes you.
And again I say to you: "He is the one who finishes the work." (Philippians 1:5-6)
It is a Heart condition, a daily relationship. Not just a plane ticket or an escape plan.
How else does one know His voice, and how else does He know us? So that we never hear those terrible words of "Depart from Me for I never knew you."
But I really don't like that acronym (OSAS). It is too easy to mislead or decieve.
And the problem is, some think they are saved (and always saved), but they are not.
We are warned not to be deceived, and more importantly not to deceive ourselves.
Those who claim the name, but never really changed their ways, aren't really saved yet. They are not really Christians yet.
Anyone can claim they are a Christian. That doesn't necessarily mean they really are.
True Salvation shows the fruit of Repentance and Love, or it is doubtful True Salvation has actually occurred.
But, we only see the outward appearance, and only God knows the heart, and only God is the judge.
All the Law and the Prophets hang on the two commandments of Love. Love to, and for God, and that also of your neighbor or enemy. In effect, when you do these two, you will not break the others, because you won't want to or intend to.
It again comes back to the Heart condition, the daily relationship.

[Repentance]
The definition of Repent/Repentance is "Change of mind, change of ways, change of thought." It does not mean "Sorrow, guilt, or asking forgiveness." Those are separate things.
There is also a distinction between Big "R" repentance and little "r" repentance:
[Salvation Repentance (Big R- Coming to Christ the first time)]
- At first repentance (Big R), you are completely washed and cleansed and receive salvation. You are sealed by the Holy Spirit unto redemption. There can be no second round of this, this is why Paul asks shall we crucify him again?
[Daily Repentance (Little r - Confession of daily sins)]
- The daily repentance (Little r) and confession is the washing and cleansing from daily sin by our advocate to the Father.
Jesus as our High Priest is the only one who can do the cleansing of the believer, either initially, or daily. It is best portrayed in John 13 by the exchange that Jesus has with Peter.

[Washing of the Disciples feet (John 13)]
Here Jesus begins to wash the disciples feet as a servant.
Peter objects, but when Jesus tells him that unless he is allowed to wash Peter's feet,
he (Peter) can have no part in Jesus (Christ). Peter then requests his whole body be washed.
Jesus tells him that once the body has been washed it is not necessary to wash it again, only that which is in need of cleansing.
What is the meaning then of this?
Our first Repentance and washing at the moment of Salvation is the (big "R") repentance, the saving Repentance.
But we also need daily washing (Little "r") repentance. You see it in the Lord's Prayer that He taught us. "Give us this day ... and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."
So the washing of the feet is the symbol of daily repentance and communion and prayer with the Lord.
Why the feet?
Jesus only needs to cleanse the feet of the believer. The part that is in contact with the ground of the corrupt world as we walk our path each day during the bearing of our crosses.
The daily sin, while we exist in this limbo before our day of perfection.
This is our purification, our refinement. And so they must be washed by Christ daily, but the whole body does not need the cleansing again.

We see the daily in the Lord's prayer even.
"Give us this day, our daily bread...
...and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us."
We still sin, and will until He comes. But we constantly bring it to the Lord.
Why?
Because we have that relationship, and the desire to please God by our faith,
and receive His faithful forgiveness when we do stumble in our walk.

Jack Nichols.

Are we Watchmen? Hebrews 13:17? Amos 3:7? Holding up an Israeli Flag and clicking pictures on social media??

“Son of man, speak to the sons of your people and say to them, ‘If I bring a sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them and make him their watchman, and he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the horn and warns the people, then someone who hears the sound of the horn but does not take warning, and a sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head. He heard the sound of the horn but did not take warning; his blood will be on himself. But had he taken warning, he would have saved his life. But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the horn and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away for his wrongdoing; but I will require his blood from the watchman’s hand.’ (Ezekiel 33:2-6).

Watchmen safeguarded fields and vineyards during harvest time (Isaiah 5:1–2; Matthew 21:33; Mark 12:1) and acted as sentinels who announced the start of a new day (Psalm 130:6; Isaiah 21:11–12).

The Bible also refers to watchmen in a spiritual sense. God appointed prophets as spiritual watchmen over the souls of His people: “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me” (Ezekiel 33:7; also Hosea 9:8).

The prophets’ job as watchmen was to urge God’s people to live faithfully and warn them of the perils involved in falling away from the Lord and doing evil. As watchmen, the prophets were also called to warn wicked people of the judgment and destruction that would come their way unless they turned from their evil ways.

HERE IS THE KICKER: ARE WE TO BE WATCHMEN TODAY?

Are there Prophets today?
No. We are The Body of Christ. Not Watchmen. Certainly no Prophets exist today as the canon of scripture is complete.

What about Hebrews 13:17? Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable  for you. (Hebrews 13:17). The Book of Hebrews. Why was it written? To Whom was it written? It is an encouragement / motivation to the Jewish Believers, not to lapse back into Old Testament Judaism. Don't lapse, don't retrogress. How does the author communicate this exhortation? The Author, whoever he was, communicates this exhortation and shows that what Believers already possess in Jesus Christ is higher than anything offered in that prior system in other words you already have the full revelation of Jesus, why would you knowingly retrogress and go backwards? After after all, Jesus is higher than the Angels, Moses and The Aaronic Priesthood. The Book of Hebrews is not written for The Church.

Use context, hermeneutics and discernment and see if this scripture applies to the The Body of Christ? "But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the horn and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away for his wrongdoing; but I will require his blood from the watchman’s hand." (Ezekiel 33:6). It Doesn't.

We are Eternally Secure in Christ ((John 10:28-29b; Ephesians 4:30)  "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39). We are saved by Faith, irrespective of works burnt. “If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” (1 Corinthians 3:15).

Amos 3:7: Another passage that is often misquoted and purposely misinterpreted is Amos 3:7, "Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets." What is the context of Amos 3:7?
Brief Summary: Amos can see that beneath Israel’s external prosperity and power, internally the nation is corrupt to the core. The sins for which Amos chastens the people are extensive: neglect of God’s Word, idolatry, pagan worship, greed, corrupted leadership, and oppression of the poor. Amos begins by pronouncing a judgment upon all the surrounding nations, then upon his own nation of Judah, and finally the harshest judgment is given to Israel. His visions from God reveal the same emphatic message: judgment is near. The book ends with God’s promise to Amos of future restoration of the remnant.
Foreshadowings: The Book of Amos ends with a glorious promise for the future. “’I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted from the land I have given them,’ says the LORD your God” (9:15). The ultimate fulfillment of God’s land promise to Abraham (Gen. 12:7; 15:7; 17:8) will occur during Christ’s millennial reign on earth (see Joel 2:26,27). Revelation 20 describes the thousand-year reign of Christ on the earth, a time of peace and joy under the perfect government of the Savior Himself. At that time, believing Israel and the Gentile Christians will be combined in the Church and will live and reign with Christ. Amos 3:7 is not addressing The Church.

What's holding up an Israeli Flag, clicking pictures and showing your support of Israel? Israel is in disbelief and lost after not accepting Jesus Christ as their Messiah. and here you are clicking pictures of yourself standing with unbelieving Israel? Where in The Bible does it say, financially support Israel ? Or give to these pastors and teachers who claim they will further sow on your behalf / give to Israel? Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. (Psalm 122:6) is being misquoted and purposely misinterpreted to extort money and support from us.

I may be wrong and judgemental, but I believe that: Likes, Sensationalism, and Money is the reason that lot of Pastors and Teachers today tell us firmly and excitedly that we are Watchmen, to indirectly and sub-consciously convey to us, that they are wise, chosen prophets of God, worthy of our Giving and Support financially. It's simply to arouse in us a feeling of belonging and having a special role in the body, that sub-consciously makes us want to GIVE more money and SUPPORT such teachers and pastors.

We are not Watchmen. Don't be deceived. We are to watch our hearts and sow/share into the lost.

Please see what "To Watch" actually means in The Bible:
https://www.alittlestrength.com/articles/2018/1804-watch.htm?
(Excerpts from a Teaching by Greg Lauer).

Bible End Times Timeline Scroll. (For Printing).

  


Praise The Lord.

I've designed a Bible End Times Timeline Scroll. (Theology, Doctrine, Prophecy, Q & A). It Contains charts and graphics and excellent teachings by Dr. Chuck Missler, Dr. Andy Woods, Robert Breaker, Clarence Larkin, Jack Nichols, etc.

It's a free download.

It can be printed as a Scroll on Canvas, Vinyl or Paper, in 2 sizes:
96.0 inches x 32 inches.
72.5 inches x 24 inches.

Can be used to start conversations with guests and others, and in small house church gatherings. It's good to keep a copy of the PDF on your mobile phone for sharing, screenshots and discussions.
Our greatest Joy and major burden, should be reaching out to the lost, winning souls and their sustained growth.

Please kindly use and share.
Thank you. God Bless.
Project was started on 1st July, 2024.
Final Upload date: 1st September, 2024.

PDF download link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1maPVKvRqB3IA5mg0guvDoDrp8mFDkg33/view?usp=sharing

Thursday, September 5, 2024

Stop being deceived.

How many people did you talk to about Jesus Christ today? Yesterday? Last month? Last six months?

How many brothers and sisters in different faiths did you invite to your home for a meal and sharing the good news? Today? Yesterday? Last month? Last six months?

How many human beings did you bring to Christ with the power of the Holy Spirit and they are now eternally secure? One? Two? Five? Ten? Today? Yesterday? Last month? Last six months?

How many poor, hungry, needy, sick, elderly, homeless did you reach out to? Today? Yesterday? Last month? Last six months?

Billions of human beings are lost, destined to hell and in need and living in poverty. But Praise God. We are Christians. A light shining in this evil dark world. We are so attentive to commenting, judging others, pointing out doctrinal issues and watching the convergence of signs and events. We understand Thanksgiving, and Christmas and are regular in Church.

Amazing.
Shameful.
Let's examine ourselves.

I'm so disgusted being called a born again Christian. Living in India, Im surrounded by poverty, families of 3-4-5 with small children, living on 100$ USD a month, in a room, smaller than your bathrooms. Lives of people shattered by poverty, illnesses and no hope. No Christ.

And no pastor daring to even go near such human beings or inviting them into their 'holy' congregations, coz these poor human outcasts, can't give monthly tithes and wear smelly clothes and live daily lives in horrific surroundings, open sewage lines and mud roofs, no sanitation and clean drinking water.

World is living in poverty and poor parents are selling their 10 and 12 year old daughters and sons, into prostitution to make ends meet.

Where is your heart and money going?

Brothels and perversion and evil rules the world but praise God, we Christians are stiff necked, holy, sin fighting, rapture excited, born again, holy folks who have nothing to do with Hindu, Muslim, Jew, etc brother and sisters. Forget the poor and homeless.

The lost call me for touching of hands for miracle healings and prosperity and happiness because all they see on Christian television and churches, is healing crusades, people falling on altars by power of god's holy spirit and raising the dead and holy men of Christ speaking in heavenly tongues.

What hands do I lay on you dear neighbor? When I am unable to handle my daily sins, my wretched vessel and unclean thoughts. Thank God for The Cross. Now that we have His Grace, shouldn't we share the good news and sow into the lost and the needy?

Are we at peace at night thinking we did enough for the lost and needy today? Billions are going to hell because The Church is suffering from Rapturitis and Sensationalism.

Most of the body of Christ worldwide is excited for stupid sensationalism news by fake pastors on Facebook/YouTube, selling them the rapture dream and tribulation events, pole shifting, and prophecy conferences, book sales, DVD's, and billions of dollars in tithes offerings. Israel Holy land Tours and Bible teaching Cruises. Travelin luxury and study! Duh.

Are we the salt of the earth? A light shinning on top of a hill in an evil and God-hating sin-loving world? Are we reaching out to the poor the needy the sick the homeless and brothers/sisters in other faiths?

Let's look at today's western Christianity...
Oh, borders are opened...
These wicked military aged refugees are entering our country...
We need to protect our homes and lives...
Buy guns...
Prepping...
Keep away from these disease full, poor, smelly, dangerous people coming into our country and neighborhood in the thousands to take away our comfort, peace and way of life...

Oh you comfortable Christians...
You have no idea about persecution...
Come to Africa. Pakistan. Afghanistan. India. China. Korea and the poor third world nations. And how, in suffering and affliction, they still honor God and reach out to the needy and share the gospel.

STOP BEING DECEIVED.
And what are you doing ?
Feeding billions to churches and teachers and pastors and Facebook/YouTube sensationalism teachers???

U.S. Christians collectively make $5.2 trillion annually — nearly half the world’s total Christian income (Health Research Funding). While 6 hundred million human beings on earth live under 3$ a day.

I am in touch with many brothers and sisters in the body, with 90% facing financial, marital, medical, depression, and substance abuse issues. Despite struggles, we rely on God as evil in the world worsens. On the Christian side, some appear blessed, happy, and passionate about God, teaching about the imminent rapture with dreams and visions. They emphasize prosperity, ministry, and giving, with answered prayers and signs of God's work. However, the discrepancy between the two sides raises doubts. It seems to revolve around money, tithes, and offerings, with their livelihood depending on others. More excitement attracts more followers, highlighting the disparity between struggling and seemingly blessed Christians.

Convergence is all around.
Be a blessing to the lost.
Share the gospel.
It's nearly time to go Home.

Are you truly prepared to meet your King, should the rapture happen tomorrow morning?

God forgive us and have mercy on the needy and the lost.

Strangers and Pilgrims! by James Smith, 1842.

Strangers and Pilgrims!

by James Smith, 1842.

"All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth!" Hebrews 11:13.

Every believer is a pilgrim. He is traveling back to God, from whom Adam revolted. He is going to his Father's house, to meet His brethren and sisters in the Lord. He is presently a stranger in a strange land, surrounded by temptations, trials, and foes. His journey lies through a great and terrible wilderness — therefore he must not expect a very smooth path, or many comfortable accommodations. He will have much to grieve and distress him, and perhaps most from quarters where he least expected it. His heart will be often burdened with grief, and filled with sorrow — tears are common to the Christian. He feels the unsuitableness of the things of time, to his spirit, profession, and aim. And therefore he confesses, "I am a stranger and a pilgrim — as all my fathers were!"
Psalm 39:12.

Weariness and painfulness are his portion now — but a rest remains for him. It is a glorious rest. It embraces and includes all the believer has prayed for — or can desire! It waits for him at the end of his journey, it was prepared for him from the foundation of the world, it is now promised to him in the faithful word, and it will be bestowed upon him when he has fought the good fight, and finished his course.

Everything at present may appear gloomy and distressing; but before you, believer, everything is glorious, magnificent, and blessed! Press on then, toward the mark, for the prize of your high calling. Fight the good fight of faith. Travel on in the strength of Jesus. You are going home — and you have a glorious home to go to! Angels will hail you to rest, Jesus will invite you to glory, and your fellow-pilgrims will rejoice to see you come!

All Heaven will be in harmony to see you safely reach your home; and the minute after you have entered your rest — you will forget all the fatigue, all the dangers, and all the difficulties of the way! You will perhaps be filled with wonder, that you should ever have allowed such trifles to vex you, or such little trials to discourage you — with such a glorious end before you.

Fellow-pilgrim, expect trouble — but expect also mercy to help you in time of need! Expect to feel your circumstances to be trying — but expect also your Savior's strength to be perfected in your weakness! You will soon join the illustrious company of Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs, in the kingdom of God! You will soon end your tedious, tiresome journey — and enter into the joy of your Lord.

Never forget you are a pilgrim — a stranger — only a sojourner here in this poor world. Here you have no continuing city — but you seek one to come.

Nothing can make this poor world, your rest; if you had all you think you want — you would find it a wilderness still. Be content then, to wait until you get home! There you shall enjoy — and always enjoy all your desires! There will not be one want, one wish, or one unfulfilled desire there! All will be satisfied — all will be full. Yet a little while, and you will see the portal of your Father's house, and hear Him say, "Come in, blessed of the Lord, tarry no longer outside!

Come, dwell forever with Me!"

Not all things else are half so dear,
As His delightful presence here;
What must it be in Heaven!
'Tis Heaven on earth to hear Him say,
As now I journey day by day,
'Poor sinner, cast your fears away,
Your sins are all forgiven!'

But how must His celestial voice
Make my enraptured heart rejoice,
When I, in glory, hear Him!
While I before His heavenly gate,
For everlasting entrance wait,
And Jesus on His throne of state,
Invites me to come near Him!

Come in, you blessed, sit by Me;
With my own life I ransomed thee;
Come, taste my perfect favor;
Come in, you happy, spirit, come;
You now shall dwell with Me at home;
You blissful mansions, make him room,
For he must stay forever!

Others May, You Cannot. G. D. Watson, in Living Words.

Others May, You Cannot.

If God has called you to be really like Jesus, He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility, and put upon you such demands of obedience, that you will not be able to follow other people, or measure yourself by other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other good people do things which He will not let you do.

Other Christians and ministers who seem very religious and useful, may push themselves, pull wires, and work schemes to carry out their plans, but you cannot do it; and if you attempt it, you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.

Others may boast of themselves, of their work, of their success, of their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, and if you begin it, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.

Others may be allowed to succeed in making money, or may have a legacy left to them, but it is likely God will keep you poor, because He wants you to have something far better than gold, namely, a helpless dependence on Him, that He may have the privilege of supplying your needs day by day out of an unseen treasury.

The Lord may let others be honored and put forward, and keep you hidden in obscurity, because He wants you to produce some choice, fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade. He may let others be great, but keep you small. He may let others do a work for Him and get the credit for it, but He will make you work and toil on without knowing how much you are doing; and then to make your work still more precious, He may let others get the credit for the work which you have done, and thus make your reward ten times greater then Jesus comes.

The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch over you, with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feelings, or for wasting your time, which other Christians never seem distressed over.

So make up your mind that God is an infinite Sovereign, and has a right to do as He pleases with His own. He may not explain to you a thousand things which puzzle your reason in His dealings with you, but if you absolutely sell yourself to be His love slave, He will wrap you up in a jealous love, and bestow upon you many blessings which come only to those who are in the inner circle.

Settle it forever, then, that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes, in ways that He does not seem to use with others. Now when you are so possessed with the loving God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, you will have found the vestibule of Heaven.

G. D. Watson, in Living Words

The Land Nobody Wanted. By Jack Kinsella.

The Land Nobody Wanted by Jack Kinsella.

The land claimed by Israel is smaller than the state of Rhode Island. In comparison to the Arab Middle East, Israel is like a single piece of sod on a football field.

Carrying the analogy further, imagine that one team has to defend that single piece of sod from an opposing team that outnumbers them 650 to 1.

The other team, claiming unfair advantage, is demanding the single piece of sod be divided and half of it be awarded to them.

The referees agree, and penalize the defending team for refusing to concede half of its 1/6th of one percent of the field to the opposition [that outnumbers them 650 to one]. The crowd loudly boos the defenders.

That is roughly analogous to the rules of engagement under which the Middle East conflict is being played out.

The Arab side makes two concurrent claims; 1) Israel has no historical right to the land; and 2) Israel, by its existence, has dispossessed the indigenous Palestinian people, leaving them with nowhere to go.

Except for a few decades of Christian control during the Crusades era, the land claimed by Israel was under Islamic control for 1300 years. This is one of the principle arguments advanced in favor of the Palestinian claim that Israel has no historical right to the Land of Promise.

That argument is bolstered by the existence of an Arab mosque atop what the Jews claim as Temple Mount, a mosque that has graced Mount Moriah for some 1,350 years.

According to modern Islam, the mosque atop Mount Moriah is the third-holiest site in Islam. Recenty Islamic tradition says the al Aqsa Mosque marks the place where Mohammed ascended into heaven aboard a winged horse.

For that reason, it now ranks third in line behind Mecca and Medina as Islam’s holiest cities.

In ancient times, Israel sat atop the most strategic crossroads of the known world. One couldn’t get from Babylon to Egypt by chariot without passing through it. Israel and Jerusalem have been fought over and conquered by the Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Egyptians, Romans, Arabs, Turks, and finally, the British in 1917.

In each of its conquests, Jerusalem was strategic because of its strategic value as Israel’s God-given capital. From Nebuchadnezzar to Titus, each successive conqueror acknowledged Jerusalem as the capital of the Jews.

When the region was conquered by Islam, taking Jerusalem was a strategic, rather than religious necessity. Whoever controlled the Jewish holy city controlled the remaining indigenous Jews.

The reconquest of Jerusalem became a holy religious duty only after the Crusaders claimed the city for Christianity. Since the city was holy to Judaism and holy to Christianity, it became holy to Islam, as well.

But ‘holy’ doesn’t mean the same thing to Islam as it does to Christians and Jews. To Christians or Jews, ‘holy’ means worthy of reverence, whereas to Islam, ‘holy’ means worthy of possession.

Under Islamic possession, Jerusalem was just another dusty city of the province of Southern Syria. In the four hundred years Jerusalem was under Ottoman rule until 1917, the city was never even a regional or provincial capital. After the Ottoman Empire fell to the Allies in the First World War, British foreign secretary Lord Balfour put into writing Britain’s support for “the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people.” When the League of Nations made Palestine a British mandate after the war, Lord Balfour’s declaration was assumed as part of the deal and the allied powers of the Great War all agreed. By 1935, there were more than 300,000 Jews in Palestine. Tel Aviv, founded in 1909, had 100,000 people.

In 1947 Britain, which had been handed the Palestine problem by the now-defunct League of Nations passed it on, with relief, to the newly born United Nations. The UN agreed to partition Palestine into a Jewish state, an Arab state, and a neutral UN zone containing Jerusalem, a city sacred to three religions. The Jews were thrilled, the Arabs adamantly opposed.

In late 1947 the plan was ratified by the UN, and the State of Israel proclaimed on May 14, 1948. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians fled the country. The the British pulled out completely, and most of the Arab world- Egypt, Transjordan (now Jordan), Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon, as well as Palestinians- immediately attacked in an attempt to destroy Israel. By the time of armistice in 1949 Israel held three quarters of Palestine- twice as much land as the UN had proposed- Jordan had taken the land on the West Bank of the Jordan River, and Egypt had taken the Gaza Strip. It is at this point in the story of the Middle East that history ends and the modern myth of the Middle East is born.

Assessment:

The modern myth is that at the end of the Israeli War of Independence, the indigenous ‘Palestinian’ people were dispossessed by Israel and left with nothing.

The historical fact is that, until the mid 1930’s, the term ‘Palestinian’ was a label applied to the Jews.

Until 1950, the name of the Jerusalem Post was THE PALESTINE POST; the journal of the Zionist Organization of America was NEW PALESTINE; Bank Leumi was the ANGLO-PALESTINE BANK; the Israel Electric Company was the PALESTINE ELECTRIC COMPANY; there was the PALESTINE FOUNDATION FUND and the PALESTINE PHILHARMONIC.
All these were Jewish organizations. In America, Zionist youngsters sang “PALESTINE, MY PALESTINE”, “PALESTINE SCOUT SONG” and “PALESTINE SPRING SONG”

In general, the terms ‘Palestine’ and ‘Palestinian’ referred to the region of Palestine as it was prior to 1948.

Thus “Palestinian Jew” and “Palestinian Arab” are straightforward expressions. “Palestine Post” and “Palestine Philharmonic” refer to these bodies as they existed in a place then known as Palestine.

The adoption of a Palestinian identity by the Arabs of Palestine is a recent phenomenon. Until the establishment of the State of Israel, and for another decade or so, the term ‘Palestinian’ applied exclusively to the Jews.

The claims of the Arab ‘Palestinians’ to be a separate people is an utter fiction. There is no language known as Palestinian. There is no distinct Palestinian culture. There has never been a land known as Palestine governed by Arab Palestinians.

Arab Palestinians are indistinguishable from Jordanians (recent British inventions all), Syrians, Lebanese, Iraqis, etc.

Syria was created by the British and subsequently given to France as the French Mandate. The Syrians declared independence after the British left in 1946, two years before Israel did the same thing. Jordan was created by the British in 1921.

The same British government that created the modern Arab world in 1920 at the San Remo Conference in Italy — by decree — also created a Jewish homeland the same way at the same conference.

And the Jewish Palestine of the Balfour Declaration as confirmed at San Remo encompassed a much bigger chunk of ground than Israel claims today.

Until the Jews renewed their claim to the land of Palestine, nobody else wanted it. The Jews petitioned for statehood on the principle that Palestine was “a land without a people” and that the Jews were “a people without a land.”

Arab revisionist historians say that claim was ‘a myth.’ History and mathematics tell a different story — if anybody were interested in the facts, that is.

In 1948, there were about 735,000 Muslim and Christian Arabs in Palestine. There were about 716,000 Jews. Since the same land now supports a population of more than 12 million combined Arabs and Jews, the argument that the Arabs were ‘crowded out’ by the Jews makes no sense.

The ‘Palestinian refugees’ languishing in ‘refugee camps’ in Jordan, Lebanon and elsewhere, were not interned by Israel. They were interned by their own governments after those governments lost the war with Israel.

Those Jordanian citizens that lived in Jordan’s West Bank and the citizens of Egypt’s Gaza Strip (who, on May 30, 1967 were still Egyptians), became instant ‘Palestinians’ on June 7, 1967.

From the moment of its declaration of statehood, the Jews of Israel have lived under the constant threat of annihilation by the surrounding Arab states.

As Golda Meir observed during the Yom Kippur War, “the Arabs can fight, and lose, and come back to fight another day. Israel can only lose once.”

What makes this significant is that NONE of this is a secret. Knowing this, the entire world prefers the fictional account advanced by the Islamic world; that the Palestinians pre-existed the Jews, that the Jews stole ‘Palestinian land’ dispossessed its inhabitants and locked them away in refugee camps.

Remember the football field and the single square of sod analogy. To the world, dividing that single square of sod defended by a team outnumbered 650 to one that holds the rest of the football field is an example of ‘leveling the playing field’.

It is nothing short of madness. But it is a madness that seems to have infected the world at large. The Islamic version of the Arab-Israeli conflict is a monstrous lie being advanced in favor of a claim to land that nobody wanted until the Jews did.

In the midst of a global war on terror, the world is prepared to countenance an openly terrorist government ruling over a ‘people’ that do not exist, (a people whose only goal is the ANNIHILATION of another people whose history is THE most documented record of ancient times) based on the argument that the Jewish claim to Jerusalem is historically invalid. That lie is so delusional that it boggles the mind. Yet it is the basic reason for a global war on terror that now threatens to spill over into an all-out war of civilizations. Israel, by its very existence, is a stench in the nostrils of the secular world. It is a constant reminder of the existence and reality of God, and therefore, man’s accountability before Him.

Paul explains it this way:
“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind. . .” (Romans 1:28)

The secular world’s war, blind anti-semitism so ingrained in its psyche it is blissfully unaware it even exists.

Any critically-thinking person can see the truth, yet the UN consistently finds the ‘anti-truth’ when it involves Israel. It is almost supernatural in its scope and breadth. In fact, scratch ‘almost’ from that last sentence.

It IS supernatural.

This Letter was written by Jack Kinsella on April 11, 2006

What is Hermeneutics?

Biblical Hermeneutics is the study of the principles and methods of interpreting the text of the Bible. 2 Timothy 2:15 tells believers to be involved in hermeneutics: “ Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

The most important law of biblical hermeneutics is that the Bible should be interpreted Literally. We are to understand the Bible in its normal or plain meaning, unless the passage is obviously intended to be symbolic or if figures of speech are employed.

A second crucial law of biblical hermeneutics is that passages must be interpreted historically, grammatically, and contextually. Interpreting a passage historically means we must seek to understand the culture, background, and situation that prompted the text.

The purpose of biblical hermeneutics is to help us to know how to properly interpret, understand, and apply the Bible. What the author meant, context, intended audience, title, location, date, purpose, message, method, sources, and structure while applying a literal, grammatical, historical approach.

A third law of biblical hermeneutics is that Scripture is always the best interpreter of Scripture. For this reason, we always compare Scripture with Scripture when trying to determine the meaning of a passage.

Exegesis, is the correct way to interpret Scripture. Eisegesis, is when a reader imposes their interpretation of the text.