Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

Printer Friendly PDF!

December 2007 Issue

God's Warning to America
Dec 1st, 2007
excerpted from Backtothebiblebelievers.com
Uncategorized

The following events paint a picture of hypocrisy and hostility against Israel and defiance against the Word of God, beginning with President George H. Bush in 1991. Immediately following these political assaults against Israel, occur some of the most catastrophic disasters in the history of the United States. To ascribe the disasters at these precise hours as coincident or random chance breaks the sound barrier of statistical probability. The possibility of these many major catastrophes happening by haphazard chance at these precise times is simply impossible.

30-Oct-91 The Oslo Accord

President George H. Bush promoted and proudly signed the infamous Oslo Accord at the Madrid Peace Conference on 30-Oct-91. The Oslo Accord was labeled a “Land for Peace” accord which demanded Israel award their land to the Palestinian murderers and terrorists in exchange for peace. The perverse Oslo proposition was simple: give us your land and we will stop killing you.

31-Oct-91 The Perfect Storm Hits

A very rare huge storm starting in the north Atlantic. This storm was so unusual and contrary to “mother nature” it was immortalized by the book “The Perfect Storm” by Sebastian Junger.

Interestingly, one of the first places the Perfect Storm hit was Kennebunkport, Maine. Waves over 30 foot demolished the home of guess who – President George H. Bush, the instigator of the Oslo Accord.

23-Aug-92 - Madrid “Land for Peace”

A year later, President Bush literally picked up the pieces from Oslo attempting to rob Israel again. Meeting in Washington D.C., Bush and crew again attempted to “sell” the fictitious Madrid “Land for Peace” agreement.

24-Aug-92 Hurricane Andrew Visits Florida

Hurricane Andrew smashes and crashes into Florida. Andrew causes over $30 billion in damage while destroying over 180,000 homes. At that time, Andrew was the worst natural disaster ever to hit America.

16-Jan-94 Cinton meets with Assad

President Clinton meets with terrorist and Israel hater Syria’s President Hafez el-Assad in Geneva. They talk about a peace agreement with Israel that includes Israel giving up the Golan Heights.

17-Jan-94 6.9 Earthquake

In less than 24 hours, a powerful 6.9 earthquake rocks Southern California. This mysterious quake centered in Northridge, is the second most destructive natural disaster to hit the United States, after Hurricane Andrew.

21-Jan-98 Netanyahu Snubbed

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with President Clinton at the White House and is coldly received. Clinton and Secretary of State Madeleine Allbright refuse to have lunch with him.

21-Jan-98 Monica Lewinsky Scandal

After Clinton’s rejection of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, later the very same day, the Monica Lewinsky scandal breaks out, destroying the Clinton presidency and resulting in his impeachment.

28-Sep-98 More Land for Peace

Secretary of State Madeleine Allbright finishes the final details of an agreement which requires Israel to surrender 13% of Yesha (Judah and Samaria). President Bill Clinton meets with Yasser Arafat and Netanyahu at the White House to finalize another Israel “land for peace” hoodwink. Later, Arafat addresses the United Nations and declares an independent Palestinian state by May 1999.

28-Sep-98 – Hurricane George

Hurricane George blasts the Gulf Coast with 110 mph winds and gusts up to 175 mph. The hurricane hit the coast and stalled until the agreement was finalized and Arafat addressed the UN. Then it hit and caused $1 billion in damage. At the exact time that Arafat departs the US, the storm begins to dissipate.

15-Oct-98 Netanyahu Talks

Arafat and Netanyahu meet at the Wye River Plantation in Maryland. The talks are scheduled to last five days with the focus on Israel giving up 13% of Yesha. The talks are extended and conclude on October 23.

17-Oct-98 Tornadoes hit Texas

On October 17 heavy storms and tornadoes hit southern Texas. The San Antonio area is deluged with rain. The rain and flooding in Texas continue until October 22 and then subside. The floods ravage 25% of Texas and leave over one billion dollars in damage. On October 21 Clinton declares this section of Texas a major disaster area.

08-Jun-01 “Roadmap to Peace”

President George W. Bush sends Secretary Tenet to Jerusalem to promote his “Roadmap to Peace”, the continuation of the failed Oslo Accord.

08-Jun-01 Tropical Storm Allison

Tropical storm Allison hits Texas, the home state of President George W. Bush. Allison causes over $7 billion in damage and closes George Bush Airport for two days. Allison continues for five long days. When Tenet leaves Jerusalem, Allison settles down.

The following series of events during August and September of 2001 preceded history’s deadliest terrorist attack.

23-Aug-01 President George W. Bush rips Yasser Arafat on CNN. Bush suggests that Arafat “put 100%” effort into stopping terrorism” if he wants Israel to negotiate. Saudi leader Abdullah is incensed. He tells Ambassador Bandar to immediately leave the US because Bush supports Israel.

27-Aug-01 On his way out, Bandar meets with Condi Rice while Bush is on vacation. Bandar tells Rice how unacceptable Bush’s comments were, threatens to withhold oil, and says that he’s leaving in disgust. Condi reports to President Bush, who immediately issues a written letter to Bandar stating that “Palestinian people have the right to live in their own state in their own homeland.”

07-Sep-01 Eleven days later, a jubilant Bandar returns to America and meets with Bush, Cheney, Rice and Powell to hammer out the details and announce to the world the creation of the Palestinian State. The negotiations and details continue until Sep. 9, 2001.

10-Sep-01 Bandar and crew finish President Bush’s plans to create a Palestinian nation in Israel in 2005. Bandar calls his offices to inform them the agreement is finally finished.

11-Sep-01 Terrorists explode into the World Trade Center.

23-Aug-05 Israel completed the evacuation of the Gaza Strip and gave it to the Palestinians. The Gaza Strip evacuation came directly from President Bush’s “Roadmap to Peace”.

23-Aug-05 Tropical Storm Katrina appears. A small insignificant tropical storm slowly appeared in the Atlantic below the Bahamas named Katrina. From her beginning meteorologists stated the US had nothing to fear. Katrina packed little punch, plus the computer forecasts kept Katrina calmly corralled in the Atlantic.

Defying computer models, Katrina turned south-east, scraped the south tip of Florida and then with the vengeance of a runaway freight train, Katrina took an unexpected turn into the warm Gulf Coast. Meteorologists tracking Katrina’s unusual path labeled Katrina one of history’s most bizarre hurricanes.

29-Aug-05 Katrina raced directly toward New Orleans, harnessing deadly strength every moment. When Katrina ended her deadly mission America suffered the worst disaster in her storied history.

During the month of August 2005, with unparalleled pressure from the United States dreaded D-Day came. Over 8.500 begging Jewish settlers were forcibly removed from the Gaza Strip. At the orders of the United States and against the protest of the Israeli government, bulldozers came and demolished their homes. The land was then given to terrorists who celebrated and shouted, “Death to Israel”.

After the Gaza Strip debacle, US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice immediately began urging Israel to vacate the West Bank. “Everyone has compassion for what the Israelis are going through right now, but, it can’t stop with the Gaza Strip.”

Going back to those US ordered bulldozers destroying the Jewish homes in the Gaza Strip, as I saw the thousands and thousands of United States citizens being evacuated from their land around New Orleans my mind could not keep from remembering the Jewish people crying and literally begging to stay in their land. America found no mercy for the Jewish people …

More Warnings
Dec 1st, 2007
A Sadlier
Uncategorized

Jeremiah lived and preached in an hour when there was no good news. Judah was about to be destroyed by the Babylonians. The people said to Jeremiah, say some nice things to us, give us some good news. I am sure that it grieved the heart of Jeremiah that he had nothing but bad news for his contemporaries.

I feel that way today, apart from the good news of the Gospel (and that is Wonderful news that we should be sounding out everywhere) there is no good news for our society. In fact the world situation is growing more desperate by the hour.

Today we are told that Lebanon is a powder keg. We are told that an electoral deadlock over a new leader is coming to a climax, threatening to upset an 18 year old factional truce and ignite a new civil war that will add one more explosive ingredient to the middle east instability.

In Pakistan, Al-Qaida and Islamist militants are controlling more and more of the country. There is a very real possibility that they could seize control of the country. NATO is very concerned and talking about sending troops into Pakistan. If the Islamists take control they would gain access to Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal. Those nuclear weapons could quickly find their way into the hands of rogue nations like Iran and Syria.

In Iran, Mahmoud Amadinejad is more belligerent by the day as he gets nearer and nearer to nuclear weapons. America has laid plans to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities. What will the repercussions be? Will oil go to $200 a barrel? Could our economy survive?

When we turn to China, we read of a congressional report that says the US military is vulnerable to China’s advanced war-fighting systems, including space weapons and computer attacks that would be used in a conflict over Taiwan, which seems inevitable.

In Israel they seem intent on negotiating away the West Bank, Hamas is planning to overrun the West Bank and take it over from Fatah as they did in Gaza. That would make the peace process a total disaster and Israel’s position would go from bad to worse.

In the US it has been revealed that terrorist moles have infiltrated into the US government.

Then we have the ominous threat of a collapse of the US dollar, which could turn America into a third world country in a relatively short order. Biznetdaily.com has reported that “hundreds of banks are threatened by a new sub prime crisis”. The story continued, “the reserves of hundreds of banks are at risk, including some major banks, after a little noticed Federal court decision signaled the crisis in securitized home mortgages could spell much more trouble for financial institutions than previously realized.”

We are heading toward the final hour of the present age of grace in which we live.

We have read the last chapter of the book and we know what lies ahead. The trumpet will soon sound, then a great false peace will arise, but it will be temporary and be swallowed up in the great “Day of the Lord” judgment.

Muslim's Ransacking Israle's Temple Mount
Dec 1st, 2007
Stan Goodenough
Uncategorized

Two thousand years ago Roman Legions pillaged and burnt Israel's Second Temple, turning the hilltop on which it once stood into a desolate heap.

As they wandered the planet, looking for place to find rest for their feet, hounded and harried everywhere by antisemitic Christians and others, the descendants of the exiled Jews prayed for and looked towards their return to the Temple Mount and the rebuilding of the house of worship to their God.

It is their holiest site - the place where God's glory once shone visibly for the entire nation to see, and the place from which their Messiah is prophesied to reign.

And yet, despite this purported highest importance to their nation, Israel's government is apparently unmoved by reports of ongoing and unrestrained destruction of the site and its priceless remains at the hands of the "Palestinian" Islamic Waqf.

In an exclusive report Monday, WorldNetDaily revealed that the Waqf - or Islamic Trust - has been caught "red-handed" destroying Temple-era antiquities, including parts of what may well be a wall from the Second Temple.

The destruction is being wrought as the Arabs blast trenches in which to lay new electrical wiring for their mosques and other Muslim-controlled structures.

Whereas Muslims throughout the Middle East and around the world have rioted and protested violently any plans by Israel to carry out excavations or repair work anywhere near the Temple Mount, Israel's Jews are conspicuous by the silence and almost total lack of interest in what the Muslims are doing to their holy of holies.

One of the few Israelis to register their shock and anger is Eilat Mazar, considered one of the most prominent Temple Mount archaeologists.

WND reports Mazar analyzed a photo showing damaged stone elements and said they "might be part of a Jewish Temple wall Israeli archeologists charge the Waqf found and had been attempting to destroy."

"It certainly looks like Second Temple antiquity and could very well be part of a Second Temple courtyard wall," Mazar said.

If authenticated, said WND, the wall would be one of the most important Temple Mount archaeological discoveries in recent history. Mazar said she would need to examine the stone in the photo to certify it.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert reportedly gave the Waqf permission to use earth-moving gear to dig a long, deep trench across the top of the mount.

Israeli police are protecting the diggers and in fact helping oversee the destruction of the most important piece of their national heritage.

Archeologists like Mazar are prevented from inspecting how the work is being done.

Other Warnings
Dec 1st, 2007
A Sadlier
Uncategorized

Over 2.600 years ago, the prophetic Scriptures described scenarios that would appear on the world scene in the last days.

In Zechariah 12:2 the Lord said through the prophet that in the last days, “I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all peoples round about.” In verse three the prophet says, “in that day I will make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all peoples; all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces”.

Today the UN, the US, the EU and all of the nations of the world are obsessed with the problems surrounding Jerusalem and Israel. The whole world is contesting Israel’s right to the land God has given to her.

Today, 2,600 years later, Jerusalem is a burdensome stone and a cup trembling to the nations. I believe this is a warning sign to the world. This is a warning of judgment to come on a world that defies God concerning Israel and the land God has given to her (Gen. 12:3, Joel 3:2).

How can the world miss the clear teachings of God’s Word? God’s Word declared 2600-3500 years ago that He would chasten Israel for unbelief and disobedience. He warned that He would scatter them to the four corners of the Earth. The same God said, that after a long period of time He would bring them back again to their own land. (Hosea 3: 4, 5)

The Growing Evangelical Apostasy
Dec 1st, 2007
Art Sadlier
Uncategorized

Some 15 years ago a group of evangelical leaders entered into an agreement with catholic leaders, the agreement was called ECT, evangelicals and catholics together. The agreement basically called for evangelicals and catholics to co-operate in evangelism, neither group would seek to evangelize the other because, basically, they said, they held the same gospel. The signing of that document influenced many other evangelicals to accept catholics as brothers-in-Christ.

On December 7, 2007, Pope Benedict issued an encyclical in which he calls into question modern christianity. The document titled, "Saved by Hope", is allegedly a deeply theological exploration of christian hope that states: "In the sufferings and misery of daily life, christianity provides the faithful with a "Journey of Hope," to the Kingdom of God. The pope also criticised the focus of modern christianity, saying its focus on individual salvation had ignored Jesus' message that true christian hope involves salvation for all. (see Eph. 2:8,9).

This is a blatant and total denial of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is Rome's theology of the Dark Ages, Rome has never changed. She is the enemy of the Gospel and the souls of men.

Understand that what the pope says in his encyclicals supercedes scripture, so you can set your bible aside.The real concern is that evangelicals are on the road to apostasy in their acceptance of catholics as brothers in Christ.

A further demonstration of the growing evangelical apostasy is found in the fact that just recently a group of some 80 evangelical leaders, Christian Colleges and Seminary Presidents, denominational heads and other ministry leaders have taken a position opposing God's clear purpose for Israel, as clearly taught in His Word.They have taken a position previously described as humanist rather than biblical. They had urged U.S.President George W. Bush to rapidly divide the Land of Israel.

In a joint statement they have declared.... Dec. 7, 2007. "We resolve to work for a viable permanent, democratic Palestinian State...We believe that the way forward is for the Israelis and Palestinians to negotiate a fair, two state solution...We call on all evangelicals, all Christians and everyone of good will to join us to work and pray faithfully in the coming months for a just, lasting two-state solution in the Holy Land." The list of signatures (80) reads like a 'Whose Who in Evangelicalism.

Even more shocking is the News, that 200 Christian Leaders, many of whom are evangelicals are seeking common ground with Muslims.

Last month, 138 Muslim scholars signed a letter addressed to pope Benedict XVI, and other religious leaders, urging them to find common ground beween Islam and Christianity. The letter declared that Islam and Christianity both believe in only one God, and the commandment to love one's neighbor.

Some 200 Christian leaders have responded to the Muslim scholars with their own letter, which calls for interfaith dialogue that will "reshape" the two communities to "genuinely reflect our common love for God and one another." Signers of the response letter include Leith Anderson, president of the National Association of Evangelical, Jim Wallis of the liberal advocacy group Sojourners, and evangelical pastors Bill Hybels and Rick Warren.

Brigette Gabriel, founder of the American Congress for truth says, the Christian community would be wiser to call Muslim imams on the carpet by urging them to tell their fellow Muslims to "stop committing acts of barbarism in the name of their religion." She is also disturbed that Hybels and Warren are suggesting that God and Allah are one.

The whole User Friendly, Purpose Driven Philosophy is Apostasy, and it leads to further Apostasy, as in the case of Hybels and Warren.

It seems that the great apostay of the Last Days has descended upon us. Who would have thought that Evangelicals would have to separate from Evangelicals. When you ask the question, "What is it that Evangelicals will not compromise on, the answer seems to be NOTHING!

The Evangelical Church for the last 50 years has been compromising one inch at a time, until today, it is a mile away from what Christ has called it to be. Everyone decries the mile, but few will contest the inch.

Apostasy must be isolated - you fail to do so at your own risk!

The Presence of God
Dec 1st, 2007
A W Tozer
Uncategorized

“The righteous shall give thanks … the upright shall dwell in Thy presence.” Psalm 140:13

The spiritual giants of old were those who at some time became acutely conscious of the presence of God. They maintained that consciousness for the rest of their lives.

How, otherwise, can the saints and prophets be explained? How, otherwise, can we account for the amazing power for good they have exercised over countless generations?

Is it not that indeed they have become friends of God? Is it not that they walked in conscious communion with the real Presence and addressed their prayers to God with the artless conviction that they were truly addressing Someone actually there?

Let me say it again, for certainly it is no secret; we do God more honor in believing what He has said about Himself and coming boldly to His throne of grace than by hiding in a self-conscious humility!

Those unlikely men chosen by our Lord as His closest disciples might well have hesitated to claim friendship with Christ. But Jesus said to them, “You are my friends!”

The State of the Church
Dec 1st, 2007
Pietro Amese
Uncategorized

..When the son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? Lu.18:8

This hypothetical question that the Lord Jesus Christ made to His disciples has always puzzled me, having been raised on a "Faith Church". Why was the Lord displaying such a "negative" attitude? Did He not have any confidence in the people and in the "movement" He was founding?
The answer to my questions came a few years ago, after I unsubscribed to the "Faith Movement" and began to look at things from a different angle. At that point, I realized that the Lord was instead displaying profound prophetic wisdom in foreseeing the condition of His Church prior to His Return.
While to some, the Church today may appear to be in power and glory, in reality she is quite miserable, apostasying and seemingly proud of it. In these last years, very disturbing doctrines and practices have infiltrated the Church, and in many cases have displaced or outright replaced the sound doctrine once taught.
Why is this happening and why the Church at large is not aware or doesn't seem to care, or even attacks those who point these things out isn't really a mystery.

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 1Tim.4:1-2

While this is the key to understand that these events "must take place" as it is written, it is disconcerting to discover that they are happening before our eyes. Most mainline Christian denominations have been dead for years, - (some for centuries) - retaining only an outward appearance of religiosity. The real problem lies though, within the Evangelical and Pentecostal groups, which were maybe the only front line "troops" serving the Lord, with missionary zeal, courage and uncompromising stance. Sadly the bright hopes have dimmed or vanished altogether. Oh yes, there are those who are still making big plans, like "taking Christian TV to the whole world", and for what purpose, may I ask? Television is probably the most subtle enemy of Christians, and "Christian TV" is even more so, since it fosters upon trusting and unsuspecting viewers all kinds of deviant behavior and false doctrines, under the Christian cover. "Christian TV" has become just plain showbiz and a moneymaking machine for its owners. (This editor knows what he is talking about, having worked for the self-billed "largest Christian Television network."

There is something drastically wrong when Christians need to be continually entertained. In recent years, a whole new industry has arisen just to provide "Christian entertainment", and as all businesses must continuously dish out new products to satisfy its voracious public's never-ending appetite. When our teenagers' only idea of service to the Lord is to play in a "Christian rock band," something is wrong. When believers need psychologists and psychiatrists instead of taking their problems in prayer to the Lord or to their pastors, something is wrong. When believers need carnal manifestations and do "carpet time" instead of prayer time or going out witnessing, something is wrong.

Christians have become the most irresponsible group of people on earth, in light of the grace that God has poured upon them. Many are going so way out that their faith in Christ is in shambles, or has changed into something warped and strange which has no connection at all to the "original," or it has completely disappeared.
"The" Apostasy is going on and that doesn't seem to bother many. The return of the Lord Jesus Christ is not being thought and proclaimed any longer, with some notable exceptions. "Christians" feel at home in this world, and do not show interest in the coming Kingdom of God. They are living in artificial paradises of their own making but they are in for a shocking awakening. The Words of the Lord come to mind:

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate,, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Mt.7:13-14

So, certainly these things must come to pass, and the love of many will grow cold, but does it have to happen to you?

Warning after Warning
Dec 1st, 2007
A Sadlier
Uncategorized

Two thousand years ago Jesus warned the world that there would come a day of cataclysmic judgments on the world. These judgments will precede His return to the earth to set up the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. Jesus called the last half of that seven year period, “The great tribulation period.” (Matt 24:21) Jeremiah called it “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” (Jer. 30:7) Joel called it “the day of the Lord”. (Joel 2:1) Jesus tells us in Matt. 24:8, that there will be some beginning signs that will be a warning of His coming, signs that appear even prior to the tribulation period. Those signs are referred to in Luke 21: 25, 26 and Matt. 24: 5 – 7.

Today those signs are all about us; Todd Strandberg compiled the following list of storms, just one of those signs.

• 2004 Japan was hit by a record number of typhoons.
• 2004 Florida was hit by a record number of hurricanes.
• 2004 Cyclone Catarina, 1st South Atlantic cyclone to reach hurricane strength.
• 2005 Katrina was the most costly hurricane in history.
• 2005 Rita was the most powerful Atlantic storm by barometric pressure.
• 2005 Atlantic hurricane watchers record 27 storms, the most ever in a season.
• 2006 Larry was the most powerful tropical system to hit Australia in 31 years.
• 2006 Monica topped Larry as the most intense cyclone ever to impact Australia.
• 2006 Typhoon Saomai was the most powerful storm to hit Communist China.
• 2006 Ioke, the first recorded Category 5 hurricane to develop in Central Pacific.
• 2007 Cyclone Gonu, strongest tropical cyclone on record in the Arabian Sea.
• 2007 The first time two Category 5 Atlantic storms made landfall in one season.
• 2007 The first time an Atlantic and Pacific hurricane hit on the same day.
• 2007 Humberto, fastest ever to go from depression to full-scale hurricane.
• 2007 Sidr, second-strongest storm to hit Bangladesh since records began.

I am reminded of Belshazzar’s party in Daniel 5. The party was in full swing when the hand writing appeared on the wall announcing imminent judgment. The party continued on until the judgment fell. Today the world is having a party while the hand-writing on the wall is ignored.

Jesus gave us, in Matt. 24; the signs that would indicate that the Day of the Lord is drawing near. Paul tells us when that day will come, 1 Thess. 5: 2, 3, after the rapture of the Church. The obvious conclusion is that the signs of the coming Day of the Lord also indicate the nearness of the rapture which precedes it.

The Bible tells us much about this coming Day of the Lord or the Tribulation period. Early in the Tribulation period over ¼ of the Earth’s population will be dead. By Revelation 9:15, another 1/3 will be killed, that means that by then, over ½ of the population will be dead. After the bowl judgments, probably 2/3 of the Earth’s people will be dead.

Jesus said, “except those days should be shortened, no flesh should be saved.” This connects with what Paul said, “sudden destruction cometh upon them and they shall not escape.” If only the World would realize what lies ahead.

Let’s look at the further warning signs Jesus gives in Matthew 24. The signs He gives us are things that have always been in the World, but will appear in a more intense and unusual way.

First Sign – War – “wars and rumours of wars” – Matt. 24: 6. We have always had war in the world. Today we are seeing things about wars that the world has never seen before. Remarkable things, unusual things, terrifying things, things that prove the age is coming to a cataclysmic end. Laser guided bombs, supersonic bombers, missiles that can reach any where with pinpoint accuracy and nuclear bombs and warheads.

Today ten or more nations have stockpiled up to 100,000 nuclear devices, all waiting to be used. There are enough to burn up the world a thousand times over.

Biological war, bubonic plague, anthrax, etc. ready to be used. Chemical weapons that can destroy the nervous system and kill in seconds. Small amounts vaporized over cities can wipe out whole populations. All are ready to be loaded into missiles and quickly devastate.

These represent the signs Jesus gave which are a warning that the time is at hand, the stage is being set.

Second Sign – Famines – “and there shall be famines” Matt. 24:7. We hear today of scenarios that warn of famine. There is a new variety of wheat rust, threatening crop loss and the loss of honey bees which will prevent the cross-pollination of crops. We hear of global warming with great crop loss and rats in India multiplying by the billions, threatening crops. Nuclear war would create devastating crop loss. All of these prospects are staring us in the face as never before.

Third Sign – Pestilence – Matt. 24:7. Pestilence equals disease of epidemic proportions, pandemics. Biologists have discovered 3,000 new viruses, 96% of them they know little or nothing about. Each has the potential to mutate and start a pandemic.

Fourth Sign – Earthquakes – “and earthquakes in divers (various) places.” Matt. 24:7. Earthquakes now shake our world 500,000 times a year; major earthquakes are on the increase. The Christmas day Tsunami was caused by a great earthquake that scientists tell us, vibrated our Earth for weeks and actually tilted Earth’s Axis slightly.

It is amazing that governments, politicians, doctors, scientists and the media are sounding alarms about the signs Jesus gave concerning His return to the Earth.

What is God’s purpose for the tribulation period?

First – to punish sinners and remove them from this earth, in the same way He did with the flood. (Isa. 13:9, 11, 13, Ps. 7:11).

Second – to bring about a world-wide revival (Matt. 24:14, Rev. 7:9, 10) The Lord will raise up 144,000 witnesses to preach the gospel and multitudes will be saved.

Third – to redeem Israel (Zech. 13: 8, 9) the Lord will separate the believing in Israel from the unbelieving.

Fourth – to judge and destroy apostate religion. All down through the Church age there has been apostate Christianity. That which claims to represent Christ, but that which opposes and attacks the true Church.

As the Tribulation Period begins, apostate Christianity will continue to grow and fill the whole Earth. At the mid-trib point, God is going to use antichrist to destroy counterfeit Christianity (Rev. 17: 15-17).

All of the prospects of the coming Tribulation Period ought to help us gain a right perspective about:

1. the poor unsaved souls around us
2. God’s hatred of sin
3. God’s grand and glorious purposes that are soon to unfold.

“Whosoever therefore will confess me before men, him will I confess before My Father which is in Heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in Heaven.” Matt. 10: 32, 33