Birth Pangs and Great Tribulation

In the books of Daniel and Revelation I see two periods of time that mark the end of the age: the Birth Pangs and the Great Tribulation. Birth Pangs come first and do involve tribulation, including the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, but not the worst of it. The Rapture occurs at the end of the Birth Pangs and the beginning of the Great Tribulation, which is the three and a half year period of the beast kingdom (New World Order) and when the wrath of God is poured out on earth. But as 1 Thessalonians says, we are not appointed to wrath.

We are in the Birth Pangs right now, as people in the Middle East already know and America is about to find out.

Here's a little secret the Lord showed me to better understand Revelation: Revelation is not a single account of the end times, but several accounts from different perspectives.

Revelation 6 through 11 is one chronological perspective:

* Chapter 6 is Birth Pangs. I believe the first five seals are already broken, the Four Horsemen are riding, and the Rapture happens after the sixth seal. Notice the signs in the heavens after the sixth seal and the response of those "left behind."
* Chapter 7 is the marking of the 144,000 and the scene in heaven of the multitudes praising God. These are the saints who were raised from the dead and/or raptured.
* Chapter 8 - the Great Tribulation begins after the seventh seal and continues through chapter 11

Revelation 12 and 13 are another perspective:

* Chapter 12 covers a broad swath of history including the Birth Pangs. The Rapture happens after Satan is thrown down from heaven: The woman is given two wings of a great eagle to fly away. 
* Chapter 13 describes the beast kingdom during the Great Tribulation

Revelation 14 through 16 are another perspective:

* Chapter 14:1-5 - The 144,000 standing with the lamb on Mount Zion. This may be a flash forward to the end of the Great Tribulation and Day of the Lord.
* Chapter 14:6-20 - The harvest of salvation by Jesus and harvest of wrath by angels.
* Chapter 15 and 16 - Bowls of wrath

Revelation 17 through 20 is yet another chronological perspective:

* Chapter 17 and 18 - Judgment and destruction of Mystery Babylon (ahemm, America). Jonathan Kleck was inspired to name his radio show "This Is It... Before the Fire," because the Rapture will happen before a destruction by fire.
* Chapter 19 - Multitude in heaven and preparation of the Bride, followed by the Day of the Lord with the Bride in the ranks of the heavenly host.
* Chapter 20 - 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth from Jerusalem
* Chapter 21 and 22 - Final judgment. God creates a new heaven and new earth. The Bride, the wife of the Lamb, is the new Jerusalem. The tabernacle of God is among men.

By the way, I think Matthew 24 is also divided between Birth Pangs (verses 1-14) and Great Tribulation (verses 15-28).

The Rapture Will Happen During the Period of Judgment on America

In previous posts I described the Rapture and Scriptures supporting it. Another post reveals the identity of Mystery Babylon in Revelation 17-18 - mostly by referencing other people's excellent analysis of the Scriptures and prophetic insight. (Hint: It's America.)

Building on this foundation, I believe the Lord recently opened my eyes to another piece of the end-times puzzle. In Revelation 18 there are three veiled references to the Rapture, and in Revelation 19 there is a reference the marriage supper of the Lamb which happens after the Rapture.

In 18:4 it says, "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues." This has multiple meanings, as prophetic Scriptures often do. The primary meaning is repentance and spiritual separation. "Come out of the Babylon world system and enter the kingdom of heaven. Repent of its ways and walk in God's righteousness." Another meaning is literally to move out of Babylon, as some have done by moving abroad, or stop being dependent on its systems that are going to fail - financial, medical, educational, etc. That depends on how God leads you personally. I can tell you my station is right here in America, but God has led my family toward self-employment, home schooling and making other preparations. Finally, I believe this verse is a picture of Jesus beckoning his children to join him on the clouds of heaven and escape the fullness of judgment to be poured out on Babylon. Come out of her, my people!

In 18:23, it says, "And the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer." Multiple meanings again. After destruction by fire, the infrastructure of Babylon will be destroyed and the lights won't turn on. However, there is also a spiritual meaning too. Referring to God's people, Jesus said, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house." If God's people, the saints, are removed, there will no longer be any light in Babylon.

Verse 18:23 also says, "And the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer..." The plain meaning is that normal human civilization, like weddings, will cease in Babylon after its fall. But here again the meaning is double. Who is the bride, the bride whose voice speaks on behalf of the bridegroom? Jesus is the bridegroom and the saints are the bride! (See the parable of the virgins in Matthew 25.) The bride will no longer be heard in Babylon because she is gone. Raptured!

Next, the scene in Revelation 19 shifts to heaven. A multitude is praising God. Verses 7 and 9 say, "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready... Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." It is the marriage supper of Jesus, the Lamb of God, which follows the Rapture according to the parable of the virgins. The saints are now in heaven with Jesus.

If there was only one reference to the Rapture in Revelation 18, it would be easy to dismiss this as wishful thinking. But all three together followed by the wedding supper in Revelation 19 form a clear picture: The saints are spirited away to heaven sometime during the period of Babylon's judgment - and then join Jesus at the wedding feast.

Be prepared: The saints will endure some of Babylon's plagues. Even the Israelites in the time of Moses experienced the first three plagues of Egypt. In a time of national judgment, chastening comes first to the house of the Lord. Jesus wants a clean bride, and to harvest as many souls as possible before the door is closed and the Great Tribulation ensues.

A previous post, It Will Come in One Day, describes the first plagues and their sudden onset from Revelation 18. 

When exactly will the saints be rescued? Who knows for sure. End times harbinger and "bell ringer for Jesus Christ" Jonathan Kleck said God told him to name his ministry "This Is It, Be4 The Fire." All I can say is I believe Jesus is coming BEFORE THE FIRE, before Babylon's ultimate destruction by fire. 

If you belong to Jesus, now is time to draw near to God and dwell in the shelter of the Most High according to Psalm 91. If you don't know Jesus, now is the time to become a child of God. 

"And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." - Acts 2:21

It Will Come in One Day

"Give her as much torment and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boasts, 'I sit enthroned as queen. I am not a widow; I will never mourn.' Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her." - Revelation 18:7-8

Revelation chapters 17-18 are about Mystery Babylon, the harlot who rides the beast. Jeremiah 50-51 are about the same entity, which it calls the daughter of Babylon, as is Isaiah 13, which it simply calls Babylon. In all of history there is only one nation that fulfills 100% of the Bible's prophetic descriptions about Mystery Babylon. That nation fits the profile like a glove. See my previous post here.

The verse quoted above in Revelation 18 really spoke to me today. "Therefore IN ONE DAY her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine." Plagues are calamities, like the plagues of Egypt during the time of Moses - blood, frogs, gnats, flies, pestilence on livestock, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, death. The Egyptian plagues came in a series of increasing severity with pauses in between to allow them to be felt and make room for Pharaoh to respond. However, Babylon's plagues will come in one day - death, mourning and famine. 

Why? Because of her hubris, overweening pride, and because she corrupted the whole world with her debauchery. "For all of the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality."  Babylon's pride is portrayed as chest-pounding patriotism and a naive delusion that things will always go well for her: "I sit enthroned as queen. I am not a widow; I will never mourn."

Famine is brought by the Black Horse in Revelation 6, whose rider carries "a pair of scales in his hand." Scales were used in the old world for commerce - to sell and to buy. In other words, they represent the economy. "A quart of wheat for a day's wages, and three quarts of barley for a day's wages." A quart of wheat is enough to make only a loaf or two of bread. How much money do you make in a day? $100, $200, $300? Imagine if you had to pay that much for a loaf of bread. The Black Horse brings an economic crash followed by hyperinflation, scarcity of food and resources, and famine.

Babylon's other plagues of death and mourning would eventually result from an economic crash and subsequent famine, but not in one day. This means something else is going on, perhaps a major natural disaster or attack that causes death and mourning immediately and pushes an otherwise broken economy over the brink. 

The last part of Revelation 18:8, destruction by fire, comes later as Babylon's ultimate judgment. First comes the plagues of death, mourning and famine. 

Folks, it's coming soon. Very, very soon. It's not going to be a rolling, gathering disaster like in Egypt. IT WILL COME IN ONE DAY.

Parable of the Virgins - The Bridegroom Comes Quickly!

The Bridgegroom is coming quickly! Jesus is coming soon! This is a party you don't want to miss. Not only because the party will be so good, so astonishing beyond our present ability to conceive, but because getting shut out will be so bad. After the Bridegroom arrives to rescue his bride, the Great Tribulation on earth will begin in earnest. Read Revelation 8-11 and 13-16 if you want to know what it will be like.

The parable of the virgins is one of the most important messages for this moment in history, standing as we are on the doorstep of the end of the age:

"Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour."

 - Matthew 25:1-13

The wise virgins still have oil in their lamps when the Bridegroom returns. Their lamp is still burning and they are welcomed to the wedding feast. The other half of the virgins are turned away because their lights had gone out.

Please note the unwise virgins wanted to go to the feast but were not ready. Jesus said, "I do not know you." That's the difference. The wise virgins knew the Lord and He knew them. Not so the unwise virgins.

How can we be sure we know the Lord? Those who know the Lord are born of heaven, born again of the Holy Spirit of God:

"For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!' The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God."
 - Romans 8:14-16

God himself replaces the worldly spirit of fear and slavery in our hearts with his own Spirit of sonship. We are transformed supernaturally in the core of our being. God's Spirit then testifies with our spirit that we are children of God. He affirms we belong to him in our hearts.

Jesus put this another way when He said:

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand."
 - John 10:27-28

We who hear the Messiah's voice and follow him are the wise virgins who join the Bridegroom at the wedding feast. 

America Is Mystery Babylon

The hour is late, so I'll get right to the point. The United States of America is in Bible prophecy. She is Mystery Babylon, the harlot who rides the beast. Revelation 17-18 and Jeremiah 50-51 are not about Ancient Babylon, Rome or the Catholic Church. These passages and others in Scripture are about America.

Rick Coombes explains why America is Babylon in Bible prophecy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoiHuNaEIjs

Here is an article on the same topic:
25 Reasons Why America Is Mystery Babylon

Here is an interview with John Price and Steve Quayle about Mystery Babylon:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/cfp-radio/2015/05/29/prophetic-implications-and-pending-judgment-as-babylon-america-mocks-god

Here are Dumitru Dudumon's visions of America. Dudumon was a Romanian preacher and Bible smuggle during the Communist era who was tortured in prison for his faith and later sent into exile. Though he spoke no English, God called Dudumon to America in 1984 to preach a message of repentance and judgment:
Dudumon video testimony of vision of America's judgment
The Message for America
Mystery Babylon
China and Russia Strike

Here are the prophetic visions of Henry Gruver, known as the "international prayer walker," about America:
US Invaded by China
Prince Charles Vision
Russian Invasion of America

Pass the Salt, Please

March against Monsanto

A few weeks ago, my wife and kids and I joined about 80 to 100 people on a Saturday to march against Monsanto and GMO (genetically modified) crops. We met at a park near downtown. After the organizer gave a rousing speech, everyone carried signs and marched through town to the Capitol Building. Some people honked their car horns in support, while others looked skeptical or amused. There were similar protests held that day in about 400 cities around the world. It was a global event to promote the safety of our food supply.

Did you know for at least 30 years Monsanto has buried scientific evidence linking the herbicide Roundup (glyphosate) to cancer, just like the tobacco companies did? Glyphosate is what farmers spray on GMO crops. Countries around the world recognize the dangers and have banned GMO crops and glyphosate. Even the World Health Organization lists glyphosate as probable carcinogen. Yet almost all corn, wheat and soybeans grown in the US are GMO and our food supply is absolutely drenched in glyphosate. Air, water and soils are contaminated with it. Have you wondered why so many people around you are getting cancer? Well there's a reason for it.

Did you know that many lab studies on animals as well as first-hand experiences by farmers show that GMO crops cause massive tumors, digestive tract disorders, bowel cancer, infertility and chronic disease? Yet Americans are fed GMO food at every meal. Ever wonder why so many people are getting wheat sensitivities, food allergies and infertility problems? Well there's a reason for it. Did you know Monsanto's former chief lobbyist Michael Taylor is now the FDA Deputy Commissioner? The truth is that US federal oversight agencies are corrupt and beholden to corporate interests. There are no long-term studies that show GMO foods are safe, yet they are approved for public consumption anyway. You can bet a lot of money is changing hands behind the scenes.

Salt and Light in the World

At the march against Monsanto I did not see any groups that looked like they came from a church. Maybe individual Christians were there, I don't know, but mostly I saw hippie types and concerned mothers with children. Good for them! But where were the churches? Why weren't church members protesting by the thousands against GMO foods poisoning all of our families and children? Why aren't churches leading this movement?

Jesus said his disciples are to be salt and light in society:

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house."
 - Matthew 5:13-15

Christian churches are supposed to be the primary institutions in society that proclaim the truth, expose dark deeds and corruption and stand up for justice. Salt of the earth and light of the world, not salt in a pew and light under a church steeple. The gospel is meant to be lived out through personal and societal transformation.

Salt and light just pertain to personal morality and lifestyle, some might say. Really? You mean Christians aren't responsible for engaging societal and political issues that make an EARTHLY difference in the WORLD? I beg to differ.

Wilberforce and King

As a good example, the English parliamentarian and Christian William Wilberforce fought a long, hard political and public battle to abolish slavery in England. He stood against the political and commercial powers of the day to win justice for fellow mankind.

Another example is Martin Luther King Jr. He preached and marched peacefully against segregation and, in spite of persecution, helped win civil rights for blacks in America. He also came to see the war in Vietnam was immoral and spoke against it. That's why they killed him, by the way. The power elite did not want an influential minister like King stirring up sentiment against their pet war.

Next we'll look at examples of what not to do.

Isaiah 1 - Seek Justice

In the first chapter of Isaiah, the Lord sets forth his complaint against Judah and Jerusalem. The people have rebelled against God and abandoned his ways. If they continue in rebellion, the Lord says the land will be made desolate, the cities burned with fire and the whole country overthrown by foreigners. 

So, what must the Israelite do to avert catastrophe and be restored to God? It is written here:

"Cease to do evil,
Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Reprove the ruthless,
Defend the orphan,
Plead for the widow."
- Isaiah 1:16-17

The reason for God judging Judah and Jerusalem was because they did not seek justice in society. They did not reprove the ruthless or stand up against the powerful who oppressed others. They did not stand in the gap and defend the orphans, widows or downtrodden. They let injustice stand. Oh sure, they continued to present offerings in the temple, but God wasn't interested in that. He wanted JUSTICE and expected his people to pursue it.

After many years of prophetic warnings and pleadings to repent, the Lord allowed Jerusalem to be destroyed because the injustice had to stop.

Sodom and Gomorrah

Many know the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, how these cities were destroyed by fire and brimstone because their gross immorality reached the heavens. What most people miss is that Sodom and Gomorrah were not destroyed only or even primarily because of sexual perversion. The Lord explains the reason right here in Ezekiel:

"Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy. Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them when I saw it."
 - Ezekiel 16:49-50

Sodom was destroyed because the people were wealthy and decadent, yet failed to help weak and poor among them, and allowed the powerful and wealthy to oppress them. In other words, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed for the same reason as Judah and Jerusalem: The citizens failed to seek justice in society.

[Credit to my friend Greg who pointed out the real lesson of Sodom and Gomorrah, and fully understood the importance of seeking justice long before I did.]

How bad was it in Sodom? The Book of Jasher gives details here. (Side note: The Book of Jasher or Jashar is one of two books directly referenced or quoted in the Bible - see Joshua 10:13 and 2 Samuel 1:18. The other is the Book of Enoch, which is quoted in Jude and whose content is discussed in Genesis 6 and the gospels. Both books are important to understand the background history of Scripture.)

In Sodom and Gomorrah, the civil authorities (judges) required that beds be erected in the cities. When foreigners traveled through, the citizens forcefully placed the foreigner on a bed. If he was shorter than the bed, they were to stretch him from both ends and cause excruciating pain. If he was taller than the bed, they folded the bed in half and crushed the foreigner to the point of near death. So they tortured foreigners to discourage them from coming to the cities.

When a poor foreigner arrived, they would give him silver and gold but then issue a decree forbidding anyone from giving him food or water. Eventually the foreigner starved to death, and the people reclaimed their gold and took the man's clothes. Not only did they not help, but they mocked the poor too.

One of Lot's daughters Paltith had compassion on a starving foreigner and secretly fed him for days. When the civil authorities discovered she was doing this, they ruled that Paltith be burned alive in the street for failing to obey the law. A similar thing happened in another city, and they ruled the woman be pasted head to toe with honey and set next to bee hives to be stung.

America Headed for Judgment

America also has serious problems with injustice. There are problems that many Christian churches acknowledge, such abortion and the radical homosexual agenda, but what particularly concerns me are the problems that most churches fail to even acknowledge exist, much less do anything about. They are blinded by patriotism and a belief that authorities have good intentions and tell them the truth. I'm afraid this is naive to the point of ridiculousness. 

* Did you know that the airplanes that hit Twin Towers on 9/11 could not have caused the buildings to fall? Hundreds and even thousands of engineers, architects and scientists have analyzed the 9/11 data and proved it is unequivocally impossible for that to have happened. See www.ae911truth.org. Did you know the Twin Towers fell at free fall speeds directly into their own footprint, which is only possible through a highly coordinated and controlled demolition? Did you know people heard explosions in the basement and other locations in the building and that residue of thermite, an explosive that melts steel and blows out steel structures, was found throughout the debris? Did you know a third 50-story steel building, World Trade Center Building 7, also fell into its own footprint at free fall speeds that day after explosions occurred, but we were told it was because of some burning office furniture? Totally impossible. Neither office fires nor jet fuel can melt steel, not by a long shot.

Did you know that Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld announced to Congress THE DAY BEFORE 9/11 that the Pentagon could not account for $2.3 TRILLION dollars in funds, and afterwards this issue was swept under the rug? Did you know that no plane was photographed hitting the Pentagon, even though it is one of the most highly surveilled buildings in the world, and no jet plane debris was found. (It was a missile or drone.) Did you know the only department hit and destroyed in the Pentagon was one investigating financial fraud and abuse? The people and records were destroyed.

Yet the government used 9/11 as a pretext for wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, killing and harming millions of FOREIGNERS, militarizing our local police and establishing a total surveillance state in America.

I once fell for all the patriotic propaganda around 9/11, Iraq and Afghanistan, but the Lord woke me up.

The church was supposed to expose and oppose this. 

* Did you know our government and others are engaged in a climate engineering or geoengineering program that is causing tremendous harm to human, animal and plant life on this planet?  Did you know it is virtually impossible for modern turbofan engines to create contrails, or vapor trails that follow behind the planes? Yet I regularly see jets flying over my area spraying a persistent trail that slowly disperses and forms artificial clouds and makes the air hazy. Some days the spraying is so heavy and coordinated that the sky looks like a tic tac toe board. 

Numerous scientific studies of water, air and soil have found dramatically elevated levels of aluminum, barium, strontium and other compounds from this aerosol spraying. These are neurotoxins that cause chronic disease, including autism and Alzheimers.

Did you know that one in three people in America now die with (not necessarily from) Alzheimers or dementia? Did you know that autism rates have risen by more than 10,000% since the 1960s? The Ivy League university MIT recently said that if current trends continue, ONE IN TWO CHILDREN WILL BE BORN WITH AUTISM IN ONLY 10 YEARS. We can't survive as a species at that rate. See Wake Up, You Live in The Matrix #8 - Geoengineering, Judgment of God and Coming Restoration.

The church was supposed to expose and oppose this.

* Did you know when the US and NATO killed Gadhafi and destroyed the government of Libya, it created a failed state that is now full of jihadis and proliferating radical Islam? It was a peaceful, prosperous oil country before we showed up. Did you know Benghazi was really a weapons running operation from Libya to supply radical jihadists in Syria, namely ISIS? Did you know that the US military, contrary to US law, left behind billions of dollars in military equipment in Iraq (tanks, humvees, machine guns, artillery) that it allowed ISIS to subsequently capture. This is why ISIS now controls half of Syria and Iraq.

Did you now federal government has stood down on our southern border and many ranchers and Border Patrol officers say Islamic jihadists are flooding across, probably by the thousands?

If you are an American, your tax dollars are being used to supply and fund radical Islam to behead, rape and enslave Christians and others throughout the Middle East and North Africa, and they're coming here next.

The church was supposed to expose and oppose this.

Speak Truth and Stand for Justice

Yet too many Christians don't question authorities or hide behind Romans 13 submission to government authorities. Well I have news for you: The citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah were submitting to government authorities when they abused the helpless and poor, but it didn't save them from the wrath of God. Romans 13 only applies to righteous governance.

Like Ancient Israel and Sodom and Gomorrah, America is on a slippery slope for judgment. See my previous posts here and here. 

For the remnant Christians, the small minority who are awake and standing in the gap, I SALUTE YOU! God bless you!

To the rest I ask: Will the church in America yet wake up and be the salt of the earth and the light of the world?

The Beast

Below is a series of articles, pictures, video and scriptures that are insightful individually, but when pieced together form an astonishing picture. That's all I'm going to say.


Article by Tom Horn - Note especially the 2nd section about Nimrod becoming a gibborim:

http://www.newswithviews.com/Horn/thomas120.htm

The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt Were Alien Hybrids, New Genetic Study Suggests:

http://humansarefree.com/2015/05/the-pharaohs-of-ancient-egypt-were.html

"The Son of Perdition: Barack Hussein Obama" by Jonathan Kleck and Clay Eudaly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bbfwOU7zg8

"The Whole World Will Worship the Beast" by James Bailey

http://z3news.com/w/whole-world-will-worship-beast/

Barack Obama and Pharaoh Akhenaten:

"The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come. Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits, and they are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while. The beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction." - Revelation 17:8-11

"I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, 'Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?'" - Revelation 13:3-4

P.S. Did you notice the name of the horse that just won the first Triple Crown in 37 years? The name of the horse is American Pharoah.

Hint, hint.

Hint.

Trust Your True Heart and Spirit

Many times I have heard religious people say, in effect, "You can't trust your heart! Don't listen to your feelings. Just submit and follow these rules." And so begins the breaking of your spirit and shackling of your soul by the spirit of religion.

The spirit of religion is NOT the Holy Spirit. It is the spirit of the Pharisees. Run from it!

While the Scriptures say "the heart is deceitful above all things," they are talking about a heart that is not regenerated or reborn. What happens when you believe in Christ?

"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."
 - 2 Corinthians 5:17

The Apostle Paul says we are transformed into an entirely new being. The old things are gone and the new things have come!

This passage in Ezekiel describes the same internal renewal:

"Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances."
 - Ezekiel 36:25-27

The Lord cleanses our souls and renews our hearts and spirits. God puts his Spirit in us and causes us to walk in his ways.

Yes, we still live in corrupted bodies, so there is an internal battle between the spirit and the flesh. As Jesus said, "The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." But if you are reborn in Christ, your spirit is made alive to God and is the good guy in this battle. You can trust your true heart, thanks to the heavenly renewal made available by the blood of Christ. 

Berry McGuire Had It Right in the 1960s

While driving into town this morning, the old, 1960s anti-war song "Eve of Destruction" by Berry McGuire started to play on the radio. As I listened to McGuire's rough, gravelly voice sing the lyrics, the song resonated so much with me right here, right now in 2015. 

Not asking for sympathy, but I have to say it's been a heavy burden to know what I do and try to relate to the 95% of the people who have no clue. Apathy, fear and delusion are everywhere. "But you tell me over and over and over again, my friend, ah you don't believe we're on the eve of destruction."

Here's the song. Maybe you can relate:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I98KeKV_F9g

Wake Up, You Live in The Matrix #8 - Geoengineering, Judgment of God and Coming Restoration

For those of you not familiar with the global environmental catastrophe being perpetrated through geoengineering (a.k.a. climate engineering), watch these two presentations by Dane Wigington at Geoengineering Watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1560&v=a2x6TEeknfo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv0Ko2OU4Ec 

On one level, geoengineering is a catastrophe perpetrated against the planet by the same global elite working feverishly to bring about the New World Order. It is causing drought, severe long-term global warming, destruction of the ozone layer and toxic heavy metal fallout which is killing plant, animal and human life.

Jesus said if these days weren't cut short, no flesh would be left alive. He wasn't exaggerating - and environmental destruction is only one aspect of Satan's mayhem.

But keep in mind, God has ultimate authority and works all things for his purposes. In that sense, geoengineering is a judgment against our land for turning away from righteousness and abandoning the purposes of God:

"The land mourns and pines away,
Lebanon is shamed and withers;
Sharon is like a desert plain,
And Bashan and Carmel lose their foliage.
'Now I will arise,' says the Lord,
'Now I will be exalted, now I will be lifted up.'"
 - Isaiah 33:9-15

The last two verses show the story doesn't end just with catastrophe. These events are intended to provoke the hearts of men and women to return to the Lord and lift up his name.

When Jesus comes back on The Day of the Lord, He will heal the planet:

"Do not fear, O land, rejoice and be glad,
For the Lord has done great things.
Do not fear, beasts of the field,
For the pastures of the wilderness have turned green,
For the tree has borne its fruit,
The fig tree and the vine have yielded in full.
So rejoice, O sons of Zion,
And be glad in the Lord your God;
For He has given you the early rain for your vindication.
And He has poured down for you the rain,
The early and latter rain as before.
The threshing floors will be full of grain,
And the vats will overflow with the new wine and oil.
Then I will make up to you for the years
That the swarming locust has eaten,
The creeping locust, the stripping locust and the gnawing locust,
My great army which I sent among you.
You will have plenty to eat and be satisfied
And praise the name of the Lord your God,
Who has dealt wondrously with you;
Then My people will never be put to shame.
Thus you will know that I am in the midst of Israel,
And that I am the Lord your God,
And there is no other;
And My people will never be put to shame."
 - Joel 2:21-27

I agree with Dane Wigington: We should be exposing the deeds of darkness and standing up for justice. We can make a qualitative difference. At the same time, prophecy is going to play out. Our true hope is in the Lord.