All Eyes On Israel

     I never imagined that I would see in my lifetime Biblical prophecy unfold on such a large scale as we have seen in recent years. Even people who reject the Bible can sense that something really big is about to happen in our world. It’s sort of like watching the wick burn down on a stick of dynamite. I am certainly no prophet, but if I were to guess, I’d say the wick is almost gone.

     Nearly 2,800 years ago, God gave supernatural knowledge of events that are occurring in our lifetime to a prophet named Joel. God had warned Israel through Joel that because of the Jewish Nation’s disobedience in rejecting God’s truth, that God would scatter them from the land of Israel.

     God did exactly that about 100 or so years after Joel. Then God regathered the people of Israel only to disperse them again shortly after the time of Jesus for their ultimate disobedience of rejecting Jesus, the Messiah spoken about in every book of the Old Testament. The prophetic details that Jesus fulfilled are so amazing that it is simply impossible for Jesus not to have been the Messiah spoken of by Moses, David, Isaiah, Daniel, Zechariah and all the other prophets. Not to mention that Jesus is the only Man to have ever raised Himself from the dead!

     Joel spoke about a time when God would not only bring the people of Israel (Judah refers to the lower half of Israel) back to the land, but that God would also draw all the nations of the world to Israel to judge them for their rebellion against God and His Chosen People:

For behold, in those days and at that time,

     When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem,

          I will also gather all nations,

     And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat;

     And I will enter into judgment with them there

     On account of My people, My heritage Israel,

     Whom they have scattered among the nations;

     They have also divided up My land.

Joel 3:1, 2 (NKJV).

     A few hundred years after Joel, God spoke through the Prophet Zechariah that the nations of the world would come against Israel in the way that a drunk irrationally goes after whatever has caught his eye: 

Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.

Zechariah 12:2, 3 (NKJV).

     The first thing that is so amazing about these passages is that for almost 2,000 years, since the Romans destroyed Israel, the Jewish Nation was gone. During these 2,000 years, the passages of Scripture quoted above, along with countless others, could simply not be fulfilled because they require the nation of Israel’s existence. However, all that changed on May 15, 1948 when against all odds Israel was reborn after 2,000 years of being scattered around the world!

     The second thing that really stands out to me is that the nations of the world are compared to drunks over their infatuation with Israel’s destruction. Is that not what we are seeing today? The irrationality of the world in the way they view Israel and its relation to the Palestinians is insane.

     There had always been a Jewish presence in the land, just not enough to build a nation upon it. When Jews started buying property en masse in their old homeland in the late 1800s, the Arabs were happy to sell them what the Arabs saw as wasteland. It wasn’t until the threat of a Jewish nation started becoming a reality after World War I that not only Muslim opposition, but world opposition came against the idea. This caused the land set aside for the creation of a Jewish State to be dwindled down to a mere fraction of what was originally intended for Israel. Note that Joel prophesied, “They have also divided up My land.” Joel 3:2b (NKJV).

     Today Israel has made concession after concession with the Palestinians and surrounding nations, but to the world it isn’t enough. They have repeatedly been attacked by their neighbors and condemned by the world, but there they still stand, by the grace of God. Despite the Palestinian calls for peace, it is the Palestinians who have never stopped launching missiles and rocks at Jews. Nevertheless, on May 19, 2011, the President of the United States declared that America is turning its back on Israel.

     Should we be surprised? No. Should we be outraged? Yes! From even a secular humanitarian perspective, it is unconscionable how the Jews are being treated. From a Biblical perspective, God said, “I will bless those who bless you, [a]nd I will curse him who curses you; [a]nd in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:3 (NKJV). In fact, I believe that Jesus was referring to the graciousness of Gentile believers towards Jewish believers during the Great Tribulation, when Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” Matthew 25:40b (NKJV).

     Please watch the following videos and learn more about Israel's struggle. This is not only about Israel, it’s about all of us. God has amazing promises in store for Israel. He also has amazing devastation for all those who will stand against God’s plan by standing against Israel.

The Maps of Israel from maozisrael on Vimeo.




The U.N., Human Rights and Israel from maozisrael on Vimeo.

     Jesus said that just before His return, the world would be marked by (1) false messiahs and declarations that the Messiah has returned (note the recent Harold Camping travesty), (2) wars and rumors of war, (3) natural disasters such as famines, disease and earthquakes, (4) persecution of believers (watch this video of a street preacher’s First Amendment Right being violated for “offending people” in the USA: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iqk4fMBdC5I), (5) great numbers of so called Christians falling away from the true faith, (6) false preachers, and (7) a lack of love for one another. See Matthew 24:3—14.

     I don’t have the time here to break each of these down and show you how they are increasing in occurrences, but please trust me when I say that the increase in each of these signs is extremely alarming. In fact, Jesus compared these signs to birth pains, which increase with intensity and frequency as the time of birth approaches, “All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.” Matthew 24:8 (ESV). Israel will play a central role in all of these events. According to Scripture, Israel will in fact come to salvation during the worst of these events when God opens their eyes to the truth about Jesus Christ, their Messiah and ours. See Ezekiel 36:25—29, Joel 2:12—32, Zechariah 12:10, Romans 11:26, 27.

     If you have never turned from your sin in repentance (having a broken and contrite heart over your sins against God), and trusted in Christ alone for your salvation (specifically that His death on the cross was your punishment), please do it today. The Apostle Paul implores us, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2b (NKJV). If you hear His voice, do as Jesus commanded, “Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15b (NKJV).

What's Going On With All The Alien Talk?

     Over the past few years, I have heard a lot of talk from “Pre-Trib” Rapture circles theorizing that Antichrist will use alien abduction as an explanation for the Rapture. Up until very recently I pretty much dismissed that concept as totally unrealistic. I have to say though, with all the very unrealistic commenting on aliens from rational media sources, I am starting to consider that there might be some truth to this. Let me make real clear from the outset, I do not in any way believe that aliens are real. However, I do believe in the possibility that all this alien talk might be a demonically inspired sign and lying wonder as described by the Apostle Paul. See 2 Thessalonians 2:9—12. These signs and lying wonders might actually be part of a conditioning process, laying the groundwork for the lie that will be used by Antichrist to explain the Rapture.

     For those who have no idea what or who the “Pre-Trib” Rapture folks are, let me give a quick description. The Rapture of the Church is a Biblical doctrine regarding the removal of true born again believers in Christ from the earth. As much as the thought of millions of Christians suddenly disappearing from the world sounds like it comes out of science fiction, the Rapture event is very Biblical. The only matter really up for discussion is the timing and the purpose.

     Although there are several passages that I believe discuss the Rapture doctrine, it primarily comes from the Apostle Paul’s epistles to the Thessalonians and the Corinthians. The believers at Thessalonica feared that their Christian loved ones who had died would miss the return of Christ, and the believers at Corinth had a wrong understanding of the resurrection.

     The Thessalonians firmly believed that the Second Coming of Christ was imminent, just as our Lord instructed us to believe:

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 (NKJV).

     However, they feared what would happen to their loved ones who died before Christ comes. So to correct their misunderstanding Paul explained to the Thessalonians:

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4:15—18 (NKJV). By the way, the term “rapture,” though not in Scripture in that form, comes from a form of the Greek word harpazō, which the Greek to English translators interpreted as “caught up” and the Greek to Latin translator interpreted as rapiemur, which is where we get the term “rapture.”

     As for the Corinthian Church, Paul needed to teach them that the resurrection was indeed a necessary part of the believer’s future in Heaven. In his explanation, Paul described how it will occur for those of us who are alive at the time this event comes to pass, “Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:51, 52 (NKJV).

     Those are the two clearest verses in Scripture that teach the Rapture doctrine. Based on the Bible then, it is unequivocal that at some point in the future, all true born again believers in Christ will in a split second (the twinkling of an eye) be caught up (raptured) into the clouds to meet the Lord Jesus Christ in the air. Many Christians don’t believe it will happen, but there it is in Scripture as plain as can be. The Rapture is a real future event. The only thing that is left for discussion is the timing, which is a much more complex issue to explain that exceeds the point of this article.

     The “Pre-Trib” Rapture position is that the Rapture will occur before the seven year period of tribulation, also known as Daniel’s 70th Week, when God pours out His wrath on the unbelieving world in a final opportunity for people to repent and put their faith in Christ alone, “such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.” Matthew 24:21b (NKJV); see also Daniel 9:20—27; see also Revelation 6—18 (providing details of God’s wrath, as well as the extreme evangelism that occurs during the tribulation period). This position also holds that Antichrist will provide a deceptive explanation for the disappearance of all the Christians, which will be embraced by all those who understood and rejected the Gospel before the Rapture occurred. Paul described this in his second epistle to the Thessalonian believers:

The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

2 Thessalonians 2:9—12 (NKJV).

     Many “Pre-Trib” believers have expressed the belief that this lie will have something to do with aliens abducting those “intolerant” “Israel-loving” “exclusive” “overly religious” Christians, who were obstructing peace in the Middle East with their blind support of Israel, and were obstructing true harmony throughout the world with all their sinner accusations, and claims that Heaven was only for Christians. Each of those twisted descriptions of Christianity come from a misunderstanding of the Gospel message. There is some truth in each of those claims, but not in the way they are used to demonize Bible believing Christians.

     As I mentioned in the beginning of this article, I originally did not believe that alien abduction would or ever could have anything to do with the deception Antichrist will use. I felt that aliens were just way too out there, pun intended, for the entire world to embrace as truth. The fact is though that many, many people all around the world are in fact embracing that aliens are visiting and watching over us. Just look at the following articles from rational media sources, which shows that “faith” in aliens is definitely on the rise. Then watch the video that follows of The Hal Lindsey Report from October 8, 2010. The whole show is really good, but to see the portion on this topic, fast forward to just after twenty minutes into the program.

Don’t Talk To Aliens, Warns Stephen Hawking
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/04/25/dont-talk-aliens-warns-stephen-hawking/?test=faces

Dozens Report UFO Over New York City
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/10/14/dozens-report-ufo-new-york-city/

Mystery Objects Over Chelsea Leave City Agape
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/chelsea_ufo_d27xhhmBwUABMwvFYS2GYP#ixzz12LmcKEV7

Mystery UFO Hovers Over Richmond VA For ‘Four Hours’
http://deathby1000papercuts.com/2010/10/mystery-ufo-hovers-over-richmond-va-for-four-hours/
(Make sure you click on “Skip This Ad” to go to the article.)

UFOs Visited Nuclear Weapons Sites, Former Air Force Officers Say
http://www.aolnews.com/weird-news/article/ufos-visited-nuclear-weapons-sites-former-air-force-officers-sa/19642199

Former NORAD Officer Reports Alien Disclosure Date: October 13, 2010
http://www.examiner.com/ufo-in-national/former-norad-officer-reports-alien-disclosure-date-october-13-2010

Chinese Airport Closed After Fiery UFO Is Spotted Flying Over City
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1293395/UFO-China-closes-Xiaoshan-Airport-spotted-flying-city.html

500th Alien Planet Could Be Discovered This Month
http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/alien-planet-number-500-101012.html

(Fast forward to just after 20 minutes into the program.)

     It simply blows me away that so many people totally disregard the Gospel message, but will believe in little green men watching over us. For those of you who don’t know it, the core of the Gospel message is as follows. The Bible teaches we are ineligible of inheriting Heaven because none of us are good enough to deserve it. See Romans 3:10—18. However, we suppress that truth to believe instead that we are good enough to deserve Heaven on our own, despite our consciences convicting us of our sin. See Romans 1:18—23, 2:1—16. Because we ignore the truth, most people totally dismiss the greatest news we could ever hope for. Two thousand years ago, God became a Man in the person of Jesus Christ for the purpose of redeeming us from the punishment we actually deserve and giving us His righteousness that we do not deserve. Colossians 1:13—22. Most people reject this even though His coming was predicted hundreds and even thousands of years before He came, not to mention all the eyewitnesses of the resurrection. See 1 Corinthians 15:1—8.

     People totally dismiss the Biblical truth of Christ and the atonement for our sins, but they will totally embrace that aliens are visiting us, and are likely the ones that somehow created us. I just can't understand it, except that the Bible warned us this day was coming. The Apostle Peter warned, “knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.’” 2 Peter 3:3, 4 (NKJV). The Apostle Paul also warned, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” 2 Timothy 4:3, 4.

     We are living in the time that Peter and Paul were writing about. Very few people in this world believe that Jesus will return to be King on this earth. Very few “intellectual” people even believe that God created us, preferring rather to believe the fable that we evolved out of nothing. There are so many signs that the time of tribulation is coming upon the unbelieving world soon. I believe that before this horrific time comes, Jesus Christ will return to this world for His Bride, the Church. The Apostle John recorded for us that Jesus promised He would return and take us to a special place, an event that is descriptively separate from the time in which He returns after the tribulation period to set up His kingdom on earth:

Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.

John 14:1—4 (NKJV); compare with Revelation 19:11—16 (describing Jesus returning to earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, with the glorified Church following Him as Paul described in Colossians 3:4).

     Please disregard the fables of aliens and other nonsense. I don’t know if Antichrist will actually use alien abduction as an explanation for the Rapture. It certainly seems to make sense, but for now it’s really just an interesting theory. The only truth you can confidently trust is Jesus, your Creator and Savior who declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6b (NKJV). Don’t believe our enemy’s lie that Jesus was just a man and that you can get to Heaven any way you wish. There is only one way, through repenting from your rebellion and surrendering to God through putting your faith in His Son alone! If you hear His voice, do as Jesus commanded, “Repent, and believe in the gospel.” Mark 1:15b (NKJV).

Can You Testify to God’s Glory Like This Woman?

     On April 25, 2010, four people invaded the home of Jim and Charlene Sanders under the guise that they wanted to buy a ring Jim advertised on Craigslist. Before long it was clear that the four had no intention of buying anything. The tragedy ended with Jim being murdered in front of Charlene and their two boys.

     How would you react to such a horrific event? I can’t say for myself, and I pray to God that I never find out. But this woman’s testimony is amazing! Watch this video, I know it’s long (over 11 minutes), but about one to two minutes into this press conference, Charlene’s testimony to Jesus Christ explodes!

     This isn’t like someone’s testimony written out on some blog site, or theoretically talked about. This is Christ living through this woman who experienced the worst tragedy most people can think of.   

     Let her tragedy be your encouragement. If you have not come to Christ, please do so now before you can no longer do it. Repent from your rebellion against God, and trust in your Creator and Savior, Jesus Christ, today!

Craigslist Ad Murder Victim's Widow: 'This Was An Evil, Evil Act'
http://www.king5.com/news/local/Victims-widow-This-was-an-evil-evil-act-92849909.html

3 Arrested In Craigslist Home Invasion Murder
http://www.king5.com/news/local/Three-arrested-in-Craigslist-ad-murder-92816954.html

Will Christians Ever Be Persecuted … In the USA?

     Have you noticed how much the world seems to dislike Biblical Christianity? I used to think that maybe it was just me. Maybe because I was taking the Bible literally, it just seemed to me that people were angry at Christians. Well, I don’t think that anymore. Many non-Christians not only dislike us, they hate us. Even within Christianity, many liberal Christians who do not take the Bible literally have quite a bit of disdain for those of us who do. For those not taking the Bible literally however, I suggest you self-examine your supposed faith for whether it’s true saving faith. Heed the warning Jesus gave recorded in Matthew 7:21—23.

     None of this hatred should be surprising though, after all, Jesus said:

If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

John 15:18, 19 (NKJV).

     By that statement, we should not be surprised, but did you ever imagine that the day might come when Christians living inside the borders of the United States of America would be persecuted because of their faith?! This country was formed on the backs of Christians who left the tyranny of religious persecution in Europe, so what a turn of events it would be for persecution of Christians to come here.

     We all know about the stories of Christian martyrdom of years long ago passed, such as Christians being fed to the lions in the Colosseum. Even modern day persecution stories outside the US are well known, such as that which recently took place in Orissa, India http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1067789/Christians-forced-hide-woods-new-wave-Hindu-violence-sweeps-India.html, and that which occurred in Turkey http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2010/April/Turkeys-Christians-Emboldened-after-Martyrdom/.

     But in America? What is going on here?! I have noticed that over the last ten years (probably longer, but this is as long as I’ve been watching), the mood and tolerance of society at large in this country has turned venomously vitriolic towards Christians and our worldview. Now, I’m not talking about simple disagreement. There have always been people in this country who have disagreed with Christianity. I’m talking about hatred and silencing of Christians through political agenda and legal constructions. People reject and hate the Christian message because although it offers salvation from God’s pending wrath over our sin, it requires repentance from sin, which people usually love more than God, and trusting in the sacrifice of Christ alone, not in one’s prideful good works.

     Don’t believe me that it’s happening? Consider this. What would you think if I told you that local governments throughout the United States were requiring permits for people to conduct Bible study meetings within their private home? What if I also added that people having just as many guests, if not more, who were having backyard barbecues or poker parties, needed no such permit? What if I further added that County officials* questioned Bible study organizers like they were criminals during their investigation of whether they were holding Bible study meetings in their home – some of the questions being, “do you pray?, do you praise the Lord?, do you say Amen?”

     Read some of these articles linked to below that prove my point. Even though many of these acts of “legal” aggression towards Christians have been abated, the fact that it’s happening should be of grave concern to those of us who follow Christ.

Home Bible Studies Are Being Banned In Many Areas Of The United States

http://signsofthelastdays.com/archives/home-bible-studies-are-being-banned-in-many-areas-of-the-united-states

Calif. Home Bible Group Ordered to Stop Meeting or Get Permit

http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100318/calif-home-bible-group-ordered-to-stop-or-get-permit/index.html

Southern California City Says Home Bible Group Must Get Permit

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/03/17/southern-california-city-says-home-bible-group-permit/

Banished! City Forbids Bible Studies In Homes

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=127793

Couple: County Trying To Stop Home Bible Studies

http://www.10news.com/news/19562217/detail.html

     Here is a compilation of similar stories written in 2006:

Zoned Out Of Worship

http://www.newswithviews.com/Morrison/joyce32.htm

     Think that this is only in isolated local governments? Well, think again, it’s happening at the federal level too. Leaders in our own federal security agencies and military are slowly but assuredly taking the position that those who swear allegiance to Jesus Christ, and believe He will one day return to be “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:16b (NKJV)), are a threat to national security!

     A military academic report has recently surfaced that was written by a US Army major, which argued that the Christian worldview is a danger to the security of our nation. Additionally, a year ago or so, our own Department of Homeland Security declared that one characteristic of “right-wing” domestic terrorism is being a Christian interested in “End-Times” prophecies. Below are links to each of these reports and articles discussing them.  On their face, both of these reports seem somewhat harmless and cast only slight aspersion, but what they reveal is a gradually increasing intolerance and demonization of Christianity.  

Army Report Says Christians Threaten Us Foreign Policy

http://www.newswithviews.com/baldwin/baldwin582.htm

Major Brian L. Stuckert, U.S. Army, Strategic Implications of American Millennialism

http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA485511&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf

(Excerpt from Page iii of Major Stuckert’s Report

- click image for larger view.)

(Excerpt from Page 57 of Major Stuckert’s Report

- click image for larger view.)

Federal Lawsuit Filed Against Janet Napolitano Over Homeland Security’s Rightwing Extremism Policy

http://www.thomasmore.org/qry/page.taf?id=30&_function=view&sbtnltr_uid1=201&_nc=677182590cfde7362ccac1f86ce29b8e

U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Rightwing Extremism: Current Economic and Political

Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment

http://www.wnd.com/images/dhs-rightwing-extremism.pdf

(Excerpt from Page 4 of the DHS Report

- click image for larger view.)

     Additionally, the legal groundwork is already being laid to prosecute and silence Christians from speaking their worldview, whether on a public street or in a church from the pulpit. I have already pointed out how many local governments are creating zoning laws to prevent home Bible study meetings, and how federal national security officials are leaning towards Christians who believe in the return of Jesus Christ as being potential domestic terrorists. More threatening I believe is the fact that recent federal hate crimes legislation has left the door open to criminally prosecute anyone who states that certain acts, specifically homosexuality, are sin according to the Bible.

     The potential threat to Christians is as follows. If an official, such as a court of law, determines that certain speech indicating that homosexuality is sin seems to incite violence towards the now protected class of homosexuals, those who are caught saying such things can be prosecuted under the new federal hate crime laws, or even the local state laws pursuant to the federal understanding of what constitutes a hate crime. The statute states that it is not intended to restrict one’s freedom of speech or freedom to worship, however, if that freedom is determined to incite violence against another, it can be illegal under the new federal hate crimes law.

     It actually sounds kind of reasonable, right? No one within orthodox Christianity wants to incite violence against anybody. The problem comes in when one is determining what conduct is considered to be “inciting violence.” Let’s take for example a situation where a man with either some mental instability or just plain old fashioned evil intent is sitting in church where he hears a sermon in which the pastor reads off Romans 1:26, 27 or 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10. Both passages clearly state that even from the New Testament message of grace and forgiveness, certain conduct is sin, including homosexuality. What if the man in my scenario then leaves the church for the local gay pride parade and mows down a bunch of parade goers with an automatic weapon?

     Will the pastor be held responsible for that man’s evil behavior? One can currently be held civilly and/or criminally liable for injury caused by another for falsely yelling “fire” in a public building. It’s not a big stretch to connect what the pastor did in my scenario to the murder of the parade goers, especially for people who do not understand the nature of sin and how it relates to the good news of the Gospel. Under the statute, the courts simply need to make the determination that the pastor’s speech incited violence against the protected class of homosexuals attending the parade, and that speech had a causal connection to the murderer’s actions.

     Read the words of the statute yourself. This is Section 4710(3) of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act:

(Click image for larger view.)

     The fact that society is turning against Christians really should be no surprise. Jesus promised persecution would come:

Remember the word that I said to you, “A servant is not greater than his master.” If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

John 15:20 (NKJV).

     Speaking of the Great Tribulation, the greatest persecution of Christians (many being Jewish Christians) the world will ever see, Jesus said:

Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

Matthew 24:9—12 (NKJV).

     My point in bringing this to your attention is to alert you enough to get out of your comfortable Christian mindset. I understand that it doesn't seem like persecution yet, but please be prepared for this, because it is coming. Such legal and political persecution is already present all around the world, including Europe. Still don’t believe me? Go stand on a busy corner in downtown Chicago simply holding up a sign that reads, “Jesus loves you,” and see how many expletives get yelled out in your direction, and how many times a police officer comes over to question you about what you’re doing. I’m not guessing here, I’ve seen and know of similar things that have happened.

     Consider what you would do if confronted by law enforcement officials questioning you for your faith. I love the country God has blessed me to be born in, and I fully respect and support our law enforcement, and I’m sure you do too. But, would you deny Him? Jesus assured us, “[] whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 10:33 (NKJV). Please think about these difficult things. The time of the promised persecution may come upon you when you least expect it. Jesus promised better things to come, but with His strength, we may have to walk through some extreme trials and tribulations before we get there.

* I originally implied that a County Sheriff’s Department was doing the questioning, but I have not been able to verify that it was actually the Sheriff’s Department who interrogated anyone regarding home Bible study groups - nevertheless, it seems undisputed that the questioning did in fact come from County officials.



Update 5/3/2010:

     Here is a story out of the UK that is right on target with the hate crimes legislation point I made. Although the preacher barely spoke about homosexuality, which was spoken about in context with the list of sins contained in 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10, the police felt that what the preacher did say was offensive and loud enough to be heard by people passing by, and therefore illegal speech.  This being a reality in the UK should wake us up to the real possibility of it coming here.

Christian Preacher Arrested For Saying Homosexuality Is A Sin
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/7668448/Christian-preacher-arrested-for-saying-homosexuality-is-a-sin.html

     Also, here is a very interesting interview on the subject by Mike Huckabee of Franklin Graham and author/columnist S.E. Cupp - pay particular attention to Franklin Graham’s concern about persecution coming:

Could This Happen Again?

     Have you ever studied what happened during the Holocaust? Most people really don’t want to see pictures or hear stories from that time. The problem is that without remembering what Hitler did, and what the world ignored, it will happen over and over and over again.

     One thing that most people don’t quite understand is that what Hitler did wasn’t that original. There has been a spiritual battle between Satan and the people whom God loves ever since the inception of mankind. Following the Fall of Adam and Eve, God promised to send a Redeemer, who would crush Satan. See Genesis 3:15. From that moment, Satan has been trying to destroy the people of God for two reasons. First, Satan hates God. Secondly, Satan wants to thwart God’s plan for our salvation.

     I’m sure there are more Holocaust examples, but here are just a few. The wickedness that led up to Noah’s Flood was climaxed by Satan trying to saturate mankind with demon possession so that the Savior could not be born. See Genesis 6. Nearly 1,000 years before Christ, the Psalmist Asaph described the conspiracy of the nations surrounding Israel, “They have said, ‘Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, [t]hat the name of Israel may be remembered no more.’” Psalm 83:4 (NKJV). About 400 to 500 years before Christ, the infamous villain Haman from The Book of Esther, “sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.” Esther 3:6b (NKJV). Then from the times of the Romans all the way up until Hitler, Europe has repeatedly marginalized, persecuted, and committed genocide against the Jews.

     So Hitler’s actions were not new, but I imagine they were likely the most heinous. Nevertheless, the Bible teaches us that the worst Holocaust is still yet to come. The Book of Revelation tells us that during the last seven years of this stage of our history, the persecution of both secular Jews, and those who have returned to the Lord, will outnumber any genocide the world has ever seen.

     Jesus described that Great Tribulation like this, “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.” Matthew 24:9 (NKJV). The Apostle John wrote regarding that time, “And the dragon was enraged with the woman [which represents Israel], and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Revelation 12:17 (NKJV).

     Please watch the following videos, and take into consideration that although we cannot see it, the spiritual battle is so very, very real. We cannot stop what God has preordained to happen at the end of our history, but I believe we have a duty before God to do our best to prevent such a horrific thing from occurring on our watch. By the way, if you are a Christian, don’t think that you are safe. Satan hates you too.

     As Christians, I think it’s important to be aware that despite the fact that Jews have generally rejected Christ as the Messiah (religious Jews are still waiting for Him), and being the primary object of Satan’s hatred, God still has miraculous plans for Israel. Through the Prophet Zechariah, God promised to reveal Himself to them during the Great Tribulation, once their hearts have been sufficiently humbled, “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced.” Zechariah 12:10a (NKJV).

     Now that the nation of Israel has been reestablished after 2,000 years of dispersion, I think God’s plans for this are getting close. If you have ever thought what it would be like to live during Biblical times, you can stop thinking about it. We are!