August 31, 2010
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LIVING ON BORROWED TIME - DVD
A morally and spiritually bankrupt society …A worldwide economic meltdown…A planet racked with increasingly intense manmade and natural disasters…Are we the Final Generation?
Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Matthew 24:42-44
Reviews: The DVD should be seen by small groups and youth ministries far and wide. The clear quoting and referencing of bible verses is especially strong. The collage of dramatic imagery - both in photography and artwork, grabs the viewers' attention and weaves the conclusion that God is about to continue His plan in a major way. The video is so fresh - the oil explosion and spill in the Gulf of Mexico is shown as one example of how this old world is wearing out and is in flames
The video next defends the authorship and reliability of the bible before showing eight unmistakable developments in our world that point toward the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ. The number one sign given to our generation is the return of the Jewish people to form the nation of Israel. Jesus Christ is now standing at the door waiting to take his beloved bride- His true believers. Like the admonition from the Book of Jude, verse 23, I pray that this DVD will be used by the Holy Spirit to pluck dying people out of the fire before the borrowed time runs out. - John Wicklund - Chair- Olive Tree Ministries Board of Directors - Maple Grove, MN
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God bless you, the new DVD is amazing! I know that if there is anyone out there who doesn't know what the bible holds or has no clue about what is really going on after seeing this DVD they will surely be enlightened about what is truly going on in the world today. - The Taylor's - Bakersfield, CA
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Mideast talks reopen under tough conditions - Karin Laub – www.news.yahoo.com
RAMALLAH, West Bank – The U.S. relaunches Israeli-Palestinian talks this week, its third push over the past decade to solve one of the world's most intractable conflicts — and this time under some of the most difficult conditions yet.
The gaps are wider than ever, distrust between the two peoples runs deep and Islamic militants opposed to a peace deal control half of what would be a future Palestinian state.
There's almost no chance of a comprehensive agreement any time soon, given Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hard stance on concessions to the Palestinians and President Mahmoud Abbas' weak position as representative of only half the Palestinians.
All the momentum is coming from President Barack Obama, who unlike Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, is tackling the issue early in his term and has already shown himself to be an energetic broker.
But even U.S. officials concede they don't expect any major breakthroughs and say simply getting the two sides to agree to a second round of talks, followed by more frequent meetings, will be a success. U.S. officials hope a follow-up round can be held in the region, likely in Egypt, in the second week of September.
"While the parameters of an ultimate, comprehensive peace agreement are well known, we do not expect to achieve peace in one meeting," State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters in Washington on Monday.
He said the U.S. hopes to launch vigorous talks between the Israeli and Palestinian leaders and their teams of experts, with the "full participation" of the U.S. and support from other countries.
Besides Netanyahu and Abbas, Obama is hosting Jordan's King Abdullah and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak at the White House on Wednesday. Negotiations are to begin Thursday, with the aim of hammering out the details of a Palestinian state alongside Israel within a year.
Despite that optimistic timetable, the first crisis is expected as early as next month, when Netanyahu has to decide whether to extend a 10-month freeze on Israeli settlement building on lands the Palestinians want for their state. Abbas has warned he'll quit the talks unless the freeze continues, but Netanyahu has so far made no commitments.
Even if that first hurdle is cleared, negotiations can easily be disrupted by Abbas' main rival, the Islamic militant Hamas, or by Netanyahu's far-right coalition partners.
Hamas, which has run Gaza since a violent takeover in 2007, could resume rocket fire on Israel to try to derail talks. Israeli hard-liners could quit the government to put the brakes on Netanyahu, either forcing time-consuming new elections or a coalition reshuffle.
But the biggest obstacles remain the wide gaps between Abbas and Netanyahu, and Hamas' entrenchment in Gaza.
"I don't believe there are real prospects for an agreement in one or two years," said former Israeli negotiator Yossi Beilin.
"You have an Israeli leader who is not ready, unless there is a very big shift in his ideology, to pay the ... minimal price the most pragmatic Palestinian leader is demanding," Beilin said.
Even if a deal is struck, Beilin said, Abbas could not implement it without first regaining control of Gaza, at this point an impossible task.
Relaunching the negotiations under such conditions is fraught with risk.
The breakdown of Clinton's Mideast summit in 2000 led to years of Israeli-Palestinian violence, and it took Bush seven years to try to bring the sides together again. Those talks broke off in late 2008 on the eve of Israel's three-week war on Hamas in Gaza.
Still, the contours of an agreement have remained largely unchanged since they were first sketched by Clinton in 2000.
Under this blueprint, a Palestinian state would be established in most of the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war.
Israel would keep some of the largest settlements it built on occupied land, while compensating the Palestinians with a land swap. Jerusalem would be partitioned along ethnic lines and Palestinian refugees would largely resettle in a future Palestine, not in Israel.
The framework is far closer to what Abbas wants than what Netanyahu has said he is willing to give. However, in a strange reversal, the Palestinian leader had to be dragged to the table, while the Israeli prime minister insisted from the start he was eager to negotiate.
Underlying Abbas' reluctance is the fear that Netanyahu is not serious about reaching an agreement, and that the Israeli leader wants the cover of drawn-out negotiations to grab more land for Israel by expanding settlements, already home to nearly 500,000 Israelis in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.
Aides say Abbas only relented because he didn't want to anger Obama and because U.S. officials assured him Obama has a clear vision of what a final deal should look like.
Netanyahu has not unveiled a detailed peace proposal. Instead, he offered a belated endorsement of the idea of Palestinian statehood — but has not said how much land he would be willing to give up. He also insists Israel keep east Jerusalem, the Palestinians' intended capital.
Netanyahu, who for years led the struggle against his predecessors' peace efforts, has left Israelis guessing about whether he is now ready to help give birth to a Palestinian state — or is simply trying to appease both Obama and his hard-line allies at home in hopes of staying in power.
The Israeli leader has made some gestures to the Palestinians in the past year — easing restrictions on Palestinian movement that allowed for a modest economic recovery and slowing the pace of settlement activity.
Yet Netanyahu, head of the nationalist Likud Party, has refused to pick up negotiations where they left off under his predecessor, Ehud Olmert.
Addressing Likud members before his departure for Washington, Netanyahu said Monday that only his party has the credentials to deliver a peace deal that protects Israel's security interests, just as it forged Israel's historic peace agreement with Egypt three decades ago.
"True peace is not a short break between wars, it's not a short break between terror attacks. True peace is something that persists dozens of years, that stands well for generations," he said.
Netanyahu's intentions will become clearer when the settlement freeze ends Sept. 26.
Many in Likud are pushing for a resumption of construction and it's unlikely Netanyahu will go against their wishes, said Zeev Elkin, a Likud legislator. "He made it clear ... that he is going with the party members, not against them," Elkin told Israel Army Radio.
Abbas faces his own domestic troubles.
Over the weekend, Khalil al-Haya, a leading Hamas figure in Gaza, threatened the negotiators, warning the Islamic militant group will "step on the necks of those who will give up our rights in Jerusalem and the rights of our refugees."
However, Hamas routinely sends conflicting messages, and it's not clear if the latest threats mean Hamas has canceled a previous understanding with Abbas to allow him to negotiate without interference, provided he submits any deal to a referendum.
Skepticism about the negotiations is also widespread in the Abbas-run West Bank. He tried to assure his constituents in a televised address late Sunday that he would quit the talks if settlement construction resumes.
Hanan Ashrawi, a former negotiator, said the public has become disillusioned because with each failed round, Israeli settlements kept growing.
"The whole thing has been manipulated to become a process without substance or credibility," she said.
In Israel, the negotiations have been met with indifference.
"We've been there so many times, and nothing comes out of it," said Israeli author Tom Segev.
Many Israelis believe they don't have a reliable Palestinian partner for peace, in part because they perceive Abbas as weak.
The Geneva Initiative, an Israeli-Palestinian group of former officials and negotiators who have come up with a detailed peace plan, tried to change that with a new PR campaign this week.
Palestinian officials recorded brief video clips aimed at the Israeli public. "I'm your partner," said Jibril Rajoub, a former West Bank security chief, speaking in Hebrew. "I think there is a historic opportunity, for us and for you."
Abbas: No peace talks with settlement building - Mohammed Daraghmeh – www.news.yahoo.com
RAMALLAH, West Bank – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas warned Sunday that he will not back down from his threat to pull out of new peace talks with Israel if it resumes construction in West Bank settlements.
The negotiations are set to resume this week with a gala summit meeting in Washington after months of American mediation efforts.
Israelis themselves are divided over the settlements, including how many should be dismantled, if any, to enable the creation of a Palestinian state. Reflecting that divide, leading Israeli theater actors and playwrights pledged Sunday not to perform in West Bank settlements, an announcement that drew sharp criticism from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Under intense American pressure, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a 10-month partial freeze in settlement construction to boost prospects for talks, but the negotiations are resuming just three weeks before the freeze expires. Netanyahu has not pledged to renew it, facing stiff opposition from hard-line coalition partners in his government.
The Palestinians never endorsed the freeze, because it did not halt all construction in the West Bank and did not apply to east Jerusalem, the section claimed by the Palestinians for a future capital.
Speaking in a televised address recorded earlier Sunday in Jordan, Abbas said, "the Israeli government holds full responsibility for the failure and the collapse of these negotiations if it continues settlement expansion in all the occupied Palestinian territories," a clear reference to east Jerusalem.
Abbas is facing internal opposition from Palestinian hard-liners, especially Hamas, for agreeing to return to the negotiating table. The Islamic Hamas, which rules Gaza and has a significant presence in the West Bank, rejects any contact with Israel. Other Palestinians criticize Abbas for not securing Israeli concessions in advance of the talks.
Netanyahu also must deal with opposition.
Hawkish members of his coalition government oppose any concessions to the Palestinians, and one unleashed a harsh tirade against the Palestinians Sunday.
The spiritual leader of one of the hard-line parties in Netanyahu's coalition caused a stir by saying in his weekly Sabbath sermon that the Palestinians and Abbas should "perish from the world." Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, a founder of the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, also described Palestinians as "evil, bitter enemies of Israel."
The 89-year-old former chief rabbi of Israel is a respected religious scholar among Jews of Middle Eastern descent, but is also known for vitriolic comments about Arabs, secular Jews, liberals, women and gays. Shas runs private schools that educate tens of thousands of Israeli children.
The Abbas government responded angrily, demanding in a statement that the Israeli government put a stop to what it described as a "culture of hatred in Israel toward Palestinians."
The Israeli premier's office rejected Yosef's remarks, saying they "do not reflect the attitude of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor the position of the Israeli government." The office said in a statement that Netanyahu is going to the talks with a goal of "reaching an agreement with the Palestinians that will put an end to the conflict."
U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley also condemned the rabbi's comments, saying in a statement that they are "not only deeply offensive, but incitement such as this hurts the cause of peace."
Reflecting Israeli divisions over the settlements, more than 60 Israeli actors and playwrights signed a letter refusing to perform in the West Bank. They wrote that appearing in a settlement clashes with their political views.
The issue came to the forefront because a $10 million performing arts center in Ariel, one of the West Bank's largest settlements, is set to open in November. Ariel Mayor Ron Nachman said the main Israeli theater companies agreed to perform in his town.
Netanyahu complained Sunday that the artists are playing into the hands of what he said were international efforts to delegitimize Israel with economic, cultural and academic boycotts.
"The last thing we need at this time, while under such an attack, is an attempt for boycotts from within," he said at the start of his weekly Cabinet meeting.
Israel training troops for unconventional warfare – www.worldtribune.com
TEL AVIV — Israel's military, preparing for regional war, has been enhancing its skills to fight during a nonconventional weapons attack.
The Israel Army has been expanding a unit trained to fight amid a biological, chemical or nuclear strike. The Army has established a center to prepare troops as part of the Combat Engineering Corps.
"The idea is that the battalion will be part of a training force with constant cooperation between them," Col. Ari Hoze, head of the Center for Atomic, Biological and Chemical Warfare, said.
Hoze said the unit would be expanded to the level of battalion. He said the center was also training a unit to counter any BW or CW attack on combat forces.
Officials said the military has determined that Hizbullah was receiving chemical warheads for its huge missile and rocket arsenal. They said Syria was expected to join any regional war by firing both BW- and CW-tipped missiles and rockets toward Israel.
As a result, the Israeli military has extended the training of soldiers assigned to battle through a weapons of mass destruction attack. Officials said the training would increase from the current five to eight months during 2010.
"Starting this year, the soldiers of the ABCW unit were enlisted separately from the rest of the Combat Engineering Corps," Hoze said. "We are in the process of extending the training course from five to eight months, and are increasing the intensity of the battalion's training courses, so that it will be identical to every other battalion course."
Officials said the planned battalion would specialize in identifying and neutralizing WMD agents. They said this would enable other combat units to fight amid any WMD attack on Israel from either Lebanon or Syria.
"The battalion will enable other forces to continue their combat operations despite an ongoing ABC [atomic, biological, chemical] attack," Hoze said. "It will evacuate, decontaminate, and protect the forces. The battalion knows how to detect and identify chemical warfare materials, and will help soldiers to decontaminate and return to the field."
Officials said the new center would also train other combat units. They said the center would oversee the procurement of NBC [nuclear, biological and chemical] combat vehicles to operate during a WMD strike.
"The moment a single chemical missile lands, the soldier will be certain that other missiles are also CW, and this will affect him psychologically," Hoze said. "As soon as soldiers learn how to identify the presence of chemical agents in the area, this will make it both physically and mentally easier on the forces."
Report: Hezbollah, Syria to join forces in future clash with Israel – Jack Khoury – www.haaretz.com
Kuwait's al-Rai daily says Lebanon-based group, Syrian army have created a joint military command, dividing potential war fronts.
The Lebanon-based Shi'ite militant group Hezbollah and the Syrian army have initiated a significant military cooperation in joint preparation for the possibility of a future armed conflict with Israel, the Kuwaiti daily al-Rai reported on Monday.
The report came as Syrian president Bashar Assad urged Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri earlier Monday to support Hezbollah and maintain calm in the divided country.
Speaking with al-Rai Monday, sources have indicated that Hezbollah and Syria have formed a joint headquarters meant to orchestrate the cooperation between the two forces, which is to be commanded by two officers – one from the Syrian military and one from Hezbollah.
The joint command, the report said, would ensure full cooperation in land, sea, and air warfare, as well as take care of the positioning of anti-aircraft missiles in both Lebanon and Syria in order to confront the possibility of an Israeli nuclear assault.
Recent exchanges between the two organizations reportedly included trading information regarding strategic sites within Israel, including airports and other facilities, as well as dividing up the prospective war fronts between themselves.
The report also stated that Damascus and Hezbollah also worked together on the possibility of joint artillery strike against Israel, as well as drawing up a collective plan for the defense of vital Lebanon, Syria sites in case of an Israeli attack.
The two organizations also reportedly shared information gather by Hezbollah following the Second Lebanon War in 2006, including military conclusions and tactics.
The al-Rai report also stated Syria's contentment with Turkey's recent announcement that it would ban Israeli warplanes from entering its airspace, since it prevents the possibility of an Israeli airstrike from that direction.
Earlier Monday, Syria's Assad urged Lebanon's leader to support Hezbollah and maintain calm in the country.
The two leaders met in Damascus for a pre-dawn meal called suhour, the last meal before the daytime fast resumes for the holy month of Ramadan, the Syrian state-run news agency reported.
Hariri has visited Damascus repeatedly this year in a sign of Syria's renewed influence over Lebanon in the years since Damascus withdrew its military in 2005, ending a nearly three-decade hold on Lebanon. Hariri's visits indicate that he needs Syrian support as his Western-backed coalition struggles at home.
Syria backs the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which has a large role in Lebanon's fragile national unity government.
Last week, street battles in Beirut between the Shiite militant Hezbollah and a small Sunni group killed three people, exacerbating sectarian tensions in Lebanon. Later Monday, Hariri was expected to head the first meeting of a new committee formed to discuss ways of ridding the Lebanese capital of weapons.
Also Monday, Iranian ISNA news agency quoted Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as saying that Lebanon's resistance groups, along with Iran must stand together to thwart what he called foreign aggressors, adding that such an alliance would work against the "enemies of humanity."
"Enemies are endeavoring to damage Lebanon's solidarity and unity, but Lebanese' resistance groups will thwart their plots and conspiracies with their tact and promotion of solidarity," the Iranian president added.
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Iran needs two weeks to load nuclear plant fuel - Jay Deshmukh – www.news.yahoo.com
TEHRAN (AFP) – Iran will need two more weeks to complete the process of loading fuel into its Russian-built first nuclear power plant, atomic chief Ali Akbar Salehi said.
The process of loading 163 fuel rods, also supplied by Russia, into the nuclear power plant located in the southern port city of Bushehr began on August 21 and was to be completed by September 5.
Thereafter the rods were to be transferred to the reactor.
But state news agency IRNA reported late on Monday that Salehi, in an interview with Al-Alam television, said it will take another two weeks to shift the rods into the plant.
"From now on, it will take 10 to 15 days for the 163 fuel rods to be moved into the main building of the Bushehr nuclear power plant and then we have to transfer the fuel rods into the reactor," Salehi said.
Last week, he had said the transfer of fuel rods into the reactor would start at the end of the Iranian month of "Shahrivar (September 22), and at the end of (the month of) Mehr (October 22), we will close the lid of the reactor."
On Monday, Salehi blamed Bushehr's "severe hot weather" for the delay in moving the rods into the plant and said that this work was being done during the night.
Iranian officials had earlier said the Bushehr plant's commissioning is expected in October or November when the electricity it generates is connected to the national grid.
Russian officials said the start of the process of loading fuel into the plant marked the physical launch of the facility, which had been under construction ever since the 1970s under the rule of the late shah.
Despite being OPEC's second-largest crude oil exporter and having the world's second-largest gas reserves, Iran insists it needs nuclear power for a rapidly growing population and for when its fossil fuels eventually run out.
Salehi also appeared to address safety concerns raised by Kuwait after the fuel loading began in the plant. Kuwait is the nearest country to the power plant as it is also located in the northern Gulf.
"These concerns and worries are untrue. If any incident happens, it can be contained in the main building" of the plant, Salehi said.
Salehi also said that the Islamic republic has received a "positive" initial response from Russia to its proposal of making nuclear fuel jointly in both countries.
"So far the Russian response has been positive to the Iranian proposal," Salehi said of the plan which he revealed on August 26.
"But any comprehensive and complete response depends on future negotiations and further study. We hope that the positive signals from the Russians will lead to the signing of an agreement."
Iran is under four sets of UN Security Council sanctions for its refusal to halt uranium enrichment -- the process which can be used to make nuclear fuel but also the fissile core of an atom bomb in highly purified forms.
Russia, despite being Iran's long-time nuclear ally, also voted for the latest round of UN sanctions against Tehran, a move which triggered an angry response against Moscow from top Iranian officials.
Salehi said Iran was testing second and third generations of centrifuges, the device which rotates at supersonic speed to enrich uranium.
"The testing phase could take one to three years ... The testing is on an experimental basis and not on an industrial production scale," Iran's atomic chief said.
Iran currently enriches uranium at its facility in the central city of Natanz in defiance of the UN and world powers. As of May 24, it had installed 8,528 centrifuges at Natanz, according to the latest UN atomic watchdog report.
Iran develops primitive flying bombs for Israeli cities, nearby US targets – www.debka.com
After watching the performance of Iran's new, locally-produced Karrar bomber drone, debkafile's military sources summed it up as a primitive copy of an obsolete unmanned US cruise missile from the 1950s that was derived from the V1 "buzz bomb" which the Germans fired against London at the end of World War II. Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made a big production of unveiling the Karrar (Ambassador of Death) Aug. 22 in a showy ceremony.
Even so, Western intelligence sources believe that mass-produced with extended range, large swarms of these flying bombs could cause death and destruction if released over densely populated Israeli areas and US military facilities and warships in the Persian Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan.
They would be fired from automatic anti-air artillery or dropped from Iran's outdated F-4 Phantom warplanes. Neither the Israeli Arrow nor the US Patriot missile interceptors are designed for unsophisticated flying bombs. And, if the Iranian claims of its 1,000-kilometer range is exaggerated and it can only reach 400-600 kilometers - short of Israel - the experts believe the Ambassador of Death could be transferred to the Hizballah in Lebanon or fired from an Iranian vessel opposite the Israeli coast.
In any case, American targets around Iran's borders and coasts could be threatened.
Iran's development of this UAV and the possibility of it reaching terrorist hands in Lebanon have sent Israel Air force missile and air defense experts to the drawing board for solutions.
it is possible the may look at reviving the development of the US-Israeli Nautilus Tactical High Energy Laser, a project US and Israel armed forces abandoned in 2006 because of the prohibitive cost of development and inconclusive evidence of its effectiveness. However, its purpose as a weapon and radar guidance system capable of firing highly concentrated laser beams that can destroy low-flying missiles and artillery and mortar rounds, could work against the Iranian Karrar.
While no more than a primitive flying bomb, the Iranian UAV's effectiveness against urban and large targets is undeniable in the same way as small speedboats can menace a large aircraft carrier. The Iranians have fitted it without strong, new jet engines as well as advanced flight control and GBS navigating systems. Ahmadinejad boasted that the Ambassador of Death carries four cruise missiles. As far as is known to Western intelligence, Iran has never fully mastered cruise missile technology.
The UAV he exhibited with such pride lags far behind the products turned out by the US and Israel, which are capable of hovering over a target for 50 hours at a stretch and following orders either to collect intelligence or attack relayed from ground stations thousands of miles away.
The Iranian Karrar cannot return to base or undertake a second mission after its first which is to do the work of a small airborne bomb. The only big difference is that its approach on target is silent and therefore an unwelcome surprise to its victims.
Neither Israeli nor American strategists take its menace lightly.
Six months ago, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates commented: "Those Iranian drones are a concern because it is one of these areas where, if they chose to - in Iraq, in Afghanistan - they could create difficulties for us."
Misplaced fear can destroy a nation; don't allow America to be next – Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com
There is a lot of fear in our land. There is fear of the economy collapsing. There is fear that Islam will attack America. There is fear that the dollar will be replaced on the international markets. There is fear that you may not have a job. There is fear about the climate. There is fear about the moral condition of the nation. There is fear that Iran will gain nuclear weapons. There is fear that you might lose your home. There is fear that famine may come about. There is fear that banks will collapse and you will lose what money you have. All these are legitimate concerns expressed every day.
But the LORD Jesus said in Matthew 10:28, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." The prophet Samuel told the Israelites in 1 Samuel 12:24, "Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you." The situation around the world is such that this generation has never seen. There is calamity inching toward us and like the animals in the forest that sense danger by the smell of it in the air or sense of it in the spirit, we humans can see the problems on the horizon. We cannot give in to this fear otherwise it will conquer us.
In recent weeks, I have talked to several Christian leaders about the condition of our nation. Many of them believe that America is lost--I mean lost to the point of no return. Many believe that we as a nation cannot return to a nation under God, even if there is revival, even if there is revolution, even if there is revivalution. They look at the mix of people who came to the recent "Restore America" rally in Washington, D.C. and see that the median age is about 60, and the youth are so far and few between that the generations behind this current generation care little about the future of their nation. Who is coming up to lead? Who will take the torch of Liberty and lead this nation out of this dark abyss?
We all can reason that our nation is in deep trouble because we have become a nation of those who fear man more than God. In 1 Samuel Chapter 12, Samuel is pronouncing that the Israelites want a king because they wanted a man ruling over them, "when the LORD your God was your king." Nevertheless, he said in verse 14, "If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God." But if you do not, Samuel warned, "the hand of the LORD be against you." We have only God to fear. So fear not the circumstances, but rather fear him who holds your life in his hands.
Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
Bill Wilson
Word of Life Ministry
Our Only Hope – Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org
For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
— Romans 3:20
The Bible tells the story of a woman who was caught in the act of adultery, brought before Jesus, and thrown at His feet. The teachers of the law and Pharisees who brought her there said, "The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?" (John 8:5).
Of course, a question arises: what happened to the man? It seems as though he would have been around somewhere. We don't know. But we do know they were attempting to trap Jesus. John tells us, "They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him" (John 8:6). This wasn't at all about dealing justly with a sin. This was about putting Jesus on the horns of a dilemma. It was about setting a trap. So Jesus assessed the situation. Then He stooped down and wrote on the ground. These religious leaders were challenging Him, and Jesus appeared to be doodling in the dust. He stood up and said, "All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!" (verse 7). Then He went back to writing again. We don't know what Jesus wrote, but He wrote something, because the Bible said they left one by one, starting with the oldest among them.
Then Jesus turned His attention to the woman. She was so ashamed; she didn't know what to do. So He asked, "Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?" (verse 10).
"No, Lord," she said.
Jesus told her, "Neither do I. Go and sin no more" (verse 11).
The law brings us to Jesus. He is our only hope. Every one of us breaks God's commandments. Every one of us needs His forgiveness. And if we will turn from our sin, He will forgive us.
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“Folks, it's all beginning to unravel. America is in more danger of falling than at any time in its history. But I believe Bible prophecy predicts this very decline. From this point on, we believers have to get serious. We are going to face discouragement, disillusionment and, most certainly, persecution in the time between now and the Rapture. But don't be discouraged or disillusioned. The coming turmoil will provide us unrivaled opportunities to share the good news of the Gospel. So be ready to share your faith and your hope with those who need Christ. We still have time to reap a great harvest of souls for God's kingdom!” – Hal Lindsey
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7 Signs of the End Times - by Britt Gillette – www.raptureready.com
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What are the signs of the end times?
It’s important to know so we can explain to others why Christians believe what we believe.
As Peter says:
“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” 1 Peter 3:15 (NLT)
Unfortunately, too many Christians are unable to explain why they believe we’re in the last days when the opportunity presents itself.
One argument in particular seems to catch today’s Christians off guard.
Peter forewarned us of this argument:
"Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, 'What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.'" 2 Peter 3:3-4 (NLT)
The particular version I hear most often is, “Sure, you think Jesus is coming, but so have previous generations.”
The implication is that our generation will pass without the Second Coming just as those previous generations passed without His Coming.
Aside from being illogical, this assertion flies in the face of plain observation as well as mountains of irrefutable evidence.
A Sign of the End?
Is the prevalence of Peter’s end time skeptic argument in-and-of itself a sign of the end times?
No.
But let’s take a second look at what he said:
“They will say, 'What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.'" 2 Peter 3:4 (NLT)
Sound familiar?
How many times have you heard someone say, “It’s the same now as it’s always been” or at least something along those lines?
Probably a lot.
But is it?
Is it really the same?
When non-believers tell you there are no signs of the end times which are unique to our time, you need to be prepared to set the record straight.
Below are at least seven signs of the end times.
Commit them to memory, and as Peter says, “be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”
Clear Signs of the End Times
Below is a list of seven clear signs of the end times, which highlight the nearness of Christ’s return. In fact, He’s so close He’s knocking on the door:
1) The Holocaust and the Re-Emergence of Israel
One of the preeminent signs of the end times is the Jewish survival of the Holocaust and the re-emergence of the nation of Israel as a Jewish state.
Over 2,600 years ago, the prophet Ezekiel foretold these events:
"Then he said to me, 'Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, 'We have become old, dry bones - all hope is gone.' Now give them this message from the Sovereign Lord: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the Lord." Ezekiel 37:11-13 (NLT)
As God says, the bones in Ezekiel 37 represent the people of Israel – otherwise known as the Jews.
Following the first century Roman conquest of the Holy Land, the Jews were banished from the land of Israel. The Romans renamed the area Palestine, and exiled its people to farthest corners of the Roman Empire.
Yet, in Ezekiel 37, God promised to bring the Jews out of exile. He promised to bring them back into the land of Israel.
Not only did He promise to restore their nation, but God promised to do so by opening their “graves” at a time when the Jews feel that “all hope is gone.”
The aftermath of Hitler’s Holocaust of the Jewish people created these very conditions, nearly destroying an entire race of people and draining the hope of countless survivors.
But out of the Holocaust, God brought the Jewish people back into the land of Israel, just as He had promised.
On May 14, 1948, the nation of Israel reappeared in fulfillment of not just Ezekiel 37:11-13, but countless Old Testament prophecies.
Of all the signs of the end times, the re-establishment of Israel as an independent nation is the clearest and most unmistakable sign that we are in the last of the last days.
2) Jerusalem is a Burden to the World
Another visible sign of the end times is the world diplomatic struggle over Jerusalem.
The prophet Zechariah foresaw this event centuries ago:
"I will make Jerusalem and Judah like an intoxicating drink to all the nearby nations that send their armies to besiege Jerusalem. On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone, a burden for the world. None of the nations who try to lift it will escape unscathed." Zechariah 12:2-3 (NLT)
Since 1967 when the Israelis retook Jerusalem in the Six Day War, the division of Jerusalem and ownership of the Temple Mount in particular, have been a source of countless U.N. resolutions, diplomatic crises, and calls for war.
The struggle over the “Peace Process” in the Middle East is the stated number one priority of world diplomats, and Jerusalem resides at the center of discussions about “land for peace.”
With the threat of World War III casting a shadow over every decision to rebuild Jewish settlements or expand Israeli society, the City of Jerusalem is no doubt “a burden for the world.”
Is this “the way it’s always been”?
No.
Until this generation, Jerusalem was not “a burden for the world.” In fact, prior to 1948, world diplomatic leaders rarely mentioned it.
3) The Dramatic Increase in Travel and Knowledge
One of the signs of the end times that anyone can easily recognize is the recent explosive increase in travel and knowledge.
In a vision, God revealed to Daniel that in “the time of the end,” travel and knowledge will increase:
"But you, Daniel, keep this prophecy a secret; seal up the book until the time of the end. Many will rush here and there, and knowledge will increase." Daniel 12:4 (NLT)
According to the book of Daniel, two things will increase in “the time of the end” – travel and knowledge.
Is this the case now?
Yes.
At the time the Book of Daniel was written, horses were the world’s the fastest mode of transportation.
In fact, horses remained the world’s fastest mode of transportation for over 2,000 years until the Industrial Revolution spawned such innovations as the steam boat, the locomotive, and the horseless carriage.
Prior to the 20th Century, most people rarely traveled more than 30 miles from where they were born. Today, people routinely travel from one continent to another within the same day.
Today’s world is definitely not “the way it’s always been.”
Frequency and speed of travel have markedly increased!
What about knowledge?
In Daniel’s time, few people received a formal education. In fact, basic literacy was a foreign concept to all but an elite minority of the world until the past 100 to 150 years.
Yet, in the past century alone, human knowledge of science, biology, technology, and countless fields of endeavor has exploded. And the advent of the Internet has created a worldwide archive of human knowledge that far exceeds even the wildest dreams of the great ancient civilizations.
Is humanity’s knowledge base today “the same as previous generations”?
Absolutely not. Human knowledge has also markedly increased.
Given that all this can be ascertained from mere observation, how can anyone say with a straight face that “things today are the same as they’ve always been”?
4) Exponential Growth Marks the Times
If a marked increase in travel and knowledge constitute one of the most clearly observable signs of the end times, then the two are merely components of a much larger sign of the end times – exponential growth.
Jesus pointed to exponential growth as a sign of His Coming:
"Later, Jesus sat on the slopes of the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and asked, 'When will all this take place? And will there be any sign ahead of time to 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, saying, 'I am the Messiah.' They will lead many astray. And wars will break out near and far, but don't panic. Yes, these things must come, but the end won't follow immediately. The nations and kingdoms will proclaim war against each other, and there will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this will be only the beginning of the horrors to come.'" Matthew 24:3-8 (NLT)
This translation fails to communicate an important revelation from Jesus - that the end times will be analogous to the birthing process.
According to Strong’s Concordance, the word “horrors” as translated above comes from the word “odin” which is best translated as “the pain of childbirth” or “birth pangs.”
This means that, much like birth pangs, signs of the end times will appear with greater frequency and intensity as Christ’s return draws near. This is why Jesus mentioned this sign first when answering his disciples' questions “When will all this take place? And will there be any sign ahead of time to signal your return and the end of the world?”
According to Jesus, three things in particular will increase in frequency and intensity as the world draws closer to His return:
1) Wars
2) Famines
and
3) Earthquakes
Have we seen these three things increase in frequency and intensity in the recent past?
Yes.
Let’s take a brief look at wars, famines, and earthquakes over the past 500 years.
Wars – A Sign of the End Times
According to a Wikipedia list of wars, the past 500 years have witnessed an increase in the frequency of wars:
15th Century – 29 wars
16th Century – 59 wars
17th Century – 75 wars
18th Century – 69 wars
19th Century – 294 wars
20th Century – 278 wars
The first decade of the 21st Century has already witnessed 55 wars, putting humanity on course for 550 wars over the next one hundred year period.
Have these wars increased in intensity?
Yes.
For most of human history, wars were fought through individual hand-to-hand combat. But the past few hundred years have witnessed the ascension of more accurate guns, machine guns, and aerial bombing. Today, a single weapon of mass destruction can kill hundreds of thousands of people.
Famines – A Sign of the End Times
According to a Wikipedia list of famines, the past 500 years have also witnessed an increase in the frequency of famines:
15th Century – 6 famines
16th Century – 10 famines
17th Century – 24 famines
18th Century – 28 famines
19th Century – 30 famines
20th Century – 44 famines
The first decade of the 21st Century alone has already witnessed 12 famines, putting humanity on course for 120 famines over the next one hundred year period.
Have these famines increased in intensity and severity?
Yes.
As the population of the world has grown, famines have caused more and more death and destruction in their wake.
In fact, while the Roman Empire’s entire population at the time of Jesus is estimated to have been approximately 55 million people, the first half of the 20th Century alone witnessed these famines:
The 1921 famine in Russia (5 million+ dead)
The 1928-1929 famine in China (3 million+ dead)
The 1932-1933 famine in Ukraine (2.6 and 10 million+ dead)
The 1932-1933 famine in Kazakhstan (1.2 and 1.5 million+ dead)
The 1936 famine in China (5 million+ dead)
The 1942-1943 famine in China (1 million+ dead)
The 1946-1947 famine in the Soviet Union (1 million+ dead)
That’s an estimated 18.8 to 26.5 million who perished from famine just from these seven famines alone!
And from 1959 to 1961, the Great Chinese Famine is estimated to have killed more than 36 million people.
Famines have dramatically increased in both frequency and intensity since Jesus first answered His disciples’ questions.
Earthquakes – Another Sign of the End Times
According to a Wikipedia list of earthquakes, the past 500 years have witnessed the following number of earthquakes described as a magnitude 7.0 or greater:
15th Century – 2 earthquakes
16th Century – 3 earthquakes
17th Century – 7 earthquakes
18th Century – 13 earthquakes
19th Century – 29 earthquakes
20th Century – 123 earthquakes
The first decade of the 21st Century has already witnessed 144 earthquakes with a magnitude of 7.0 or greater, putting humanity on course for 1,440 such earthquakes over the next one hundred year period!
The dramatic increase in devastating wars, famines, and earthquakes from the time of Jesus until today is one of clearest signs of the end times.
5) Rise of the Gog / Magog Alliance
Yet another sign of the end times is the current rise of the Gog / Magog Alliance.
The details of this future military alliance against Israel are found in the Book of Ezekiel, Chapters 38 and 39:
"This is another message that came to me from the Lord: 'Son of man, prophesy against Gog of the land of Magog, the prince who rules over the nations of Meshech and Tubal. Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord: Gog, I am your enemy! I will turn you around and put hooks into your jaws to lead you out to your destruction. I will mobilize your troops and cavalry and make you a vast and mighty horde, all fully armed. Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya will join you, too, with all their weapons. Gomer and all its hordes will also join you, along with the armies of Beth-togarmah from the distant north and many others.'" Ezekiel 38:1-6 (NLT)
The nations cited in the verses above are associated with their Old Testament predecessors, but they all represent nations that exist today.
Below is a list of those nations, each followed by its modern day equivalent:
Magog, Meshech, and Tubal = Russia
Persia = Iran
Cush = Ethiopia
Put = Libya
Gomer = Turkey
Beth-togarmah = Turkey, Armenia, and the Turkish-speaking people of Asia Minor
According to God, Russia will mobilize a coalition that includes these nations in the last days.
Throughout human history, there’s never been a cooperative military alliance between the nations of Russia and Iran – at least until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.
Since then, a cooperative diplomatic and military alliance between Iran and Russia has formed and slowly expanded, ultimately leading to Russia’s assistance in providing Iran with the necessary support to make the Bushehr nuclear power plant operational in 2010.
So when does the Bible tell us this alliance will form?
It definitely says, “in the last days”:
"Get ready; be prepared! Keep all the armies around you mobilized, and take command of them. A long time from now you will be called into action. In the distant future you will swoop down on the land of Israel, which will be lying in peace after her recovery from war and after the return of her people from many lands. You and all your allies - a vast and awesome horde - will roll down on them like a storm and cover the land like a cloud." Ezekiel 38:7-9 (NLT)
According to Strong’s Concordance, “in the distant future” is better translated as “achariyth shaneh” which means “end years.”
6) The Rise of Global Government
Another sign of the end times is the current trend toward globalization.
According to the Book of Revelation, globalization involves more than just multinational corporations and global commerce. One day, a single man will rule all the people and nations on the earth:
"And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation." Revelation 13:7 (NLT)
With each passing day more and more nations are ceding their sovereignty to larger institutions such as the European Union, the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Court.
Given the current global financial crisis and the potential catastrophe of a global war, more and more diplomatic leaders and world politicians are calling for global government.
And as human technology continues to advance and mature, we’re quickly reaching a point where global totalitarian rule will be possible.
7) The Good News Preached Throughout the World
Jesus revealed the following sign of the end times to His disciples in response to their questions about the end of the age and the sign of His coming:
“And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:14 (NLT)
According to Christ, His Coming is preceded by the preaching of the Gospel “throughout the whole world.”
This idea is reiterated in the Book of Revelation.
“And I saw another angel flying through the sky, carrying the eternal Good News to proclaim to the people who belong to this world – to every nation, tribe, language, and people. ‘Fear God,’ he shouted. ‘Give glory to him. For the time has come when he will sit as judge. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all the springs of water.’” Revelation 14:6-7 (NLT)
In the time of Jesus, the Gospel was confined to a relatively small number of people in and around Israel. And much of the earth’s land mass was completely unknown to the disciples of Jesus, so the odds of the disciples preaching the Gospel of Christ “throughout the whole world” in their own time was quite remote.
Yet, 2,000 years later, the Gospel is preached in every nation, the Bible is translated in hundreds of languages, and the Gospel of Christ is delivered through thousands of ministries via radio, cable TV, satellite, and the Internet.
Is this “the way it’s always been?”
Nope.
The truth is our generation is closer to preaching the Gospel “throughout the whole world” than any preceding generation.
Signs of the End Times
These are just seven signs of the end times, but they aren’t the only signs.
The Bible has much to say about the last days and the time of the end, and as followers of Christ, we are warned to recognize the signs of the times.
"Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near." Matthew 24:28 (NLT)
Why?
Because if we acknowledge the signs of the end times as well as our Lord’s command to stay awake and alert, we will be driven to live Godly lives. Paul emphasized this in his letter to the Romans:
"Another reason for right living is that you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for the coming of our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed." Romans 13:11 (NLT)
Remember, all prophecy exists to give a clear witness for Christ:
"For the essence of prophecy is to give a clear witness for Jesus." Revelation 19:10 (NLT)
And prophecy is telling us that Christ is coming.
“In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door.” Matthew 24:33 (NLT)
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