PROPHECY UPDATE: Persecution
"Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other...because of the increase in wickedness, the love of most will grow cold..." (Matthew 24:9-11)
Take a look at these stark examples (the article is too long to post), as it is worth reading. Take a step back and ponder the illogic of this persecution: Christians pose a threat to no one; the growing persecution represents a manifestation of the epic battle of good vs evil - a battle that is rapidly drawing to a close but will reach its pinnacle during the Tribulation.
At the suggestion of the head of district police, Muslim leaders agreed to give the Christians three days to tear down their own church buildings. The Muslims formed a group to monitor the Christians, with the understanding that police would tear down the unregistered churches if they were still standing in three days.
Iran: Letter From Youcef
The intro is seen below; the entire letter is worth reading, as this Christian faces death:
Syrian troops have regained control of a rebellious Damascus suburb after a 10-day assault that left dozens dead, hundreds wounded and caused a major humanitarian crisis, activists said Saturday.
Two days before the oil embargo went into effect, Saudi Arabia and the UAE activated two extra oil pipelines bypassing Hormuz and providing alternative routes for their oil to continue to flow to export markets if the Straits are blocked.
American and French forces went on standby at this port since Saturday. Tehran could attack both of these pipelines as one form of reprisal for the tough, new sanction.
Friday, June 29, a senior Revolutionary Guards Corp general announced that missiles with a range of 300 kilometers were to be installed on Iranian warships on duty in the vicinity of the Hormuz Straits.
The Al-Qaeda-Muslim Brotherhood Coalition
Not long ago the Arab Spring was seen as a harbinger of democracy. It turns out that, instead, it's creating breeding grounds for international terror--and safe havens for al-Qaeda itself.
That is not just a polemical opinion but the somber assessment of the director-general of Britain's MI5 internal security agency, Jonathan Evans.
Evans specifically said that British jihadis, who have been training for years at al-Qaeda strongholds in Yemen and Somalia, "are known to be receiving training in the likes of Libya and Egypt"
The MI5 chief also confirmed that al-Qaeda is now active in Syria, and "warned against suggestions that al-Qaeda's threat has 'evaporated' following the death of Osama bin Laden and significant victories in Pakistan." He noted that Britain, for its part, has "experienced a credible terrorist attack plot about once a year since 9/11."
Evans didn't say in what part of Egypt the jihadis are training. Israel, though, has been aware that--particularly since the winds of "spring" toppled Egypt's pro-Western Mubarak regime--the presence of al-Qaeda and other global-jihad elements has been rapidly growing at least in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.
Still more significant, though, is the fact that "permissive environments" where al-Qaeda is coming back to roost--"Arab Spring" countries like Egypt, Libya, and Syria--are also places where the Muslim Brotherhood has been gaining strength.
The Road To Serfdom 2012
Internal Revenue Service has just become Barack Obama’s domestic army. That is what we face now.”
Somewhere between 18 and 22 new taxes will be levied because of this ruling. Some begin next year. I don’t know about you, but we are having trouble making it now and we are already worried about the heavy food inflation we are seeing here. I definitely wonder how we will make it with these new taxes if they come into play.
We have to view these events as "road paving" as we race down this road to the Tribulation. We were destined to see this process in it's early stages - Jesus warned of this aspect of biblical prophecy as well:
"...but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come."
The bride is patiently enduring. The bride is patiently awaiting the bridegroom to come, in order take her away to the wedding, just as the ancient Jewish wedding customs would dictate.
That promise is always worth remembering and today is no exception:
I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going"
Jesus' words?
"See to it that you are not alarmed"
"Such things must happen"
"Trust in God; trust also in me"
Let's cling to these words in the last days - darker and darker days on this earth as the last rise of evil surfaces - a rise that cannot be completed while the Holy Spirit resides on the earth within the Bride of Christ - the Church.
Jesus knew we would be exposed to this era in history - before the gathering up. He knew we'd see these ominous developments as the world prepares to enter the Tribulation.
He also wants our focus to be entirely on Him and His coming:
We have no reason to fear and we have no reason for apprehension. Our sole focus should be on Jesus who is returning for His beloved Bride.
After all, we're just on the threshold of that event.
Posted by Scott at Sunday, July 01, 2012
Praying fro the persecuted church as we wait for the coming of the Lord.
A praise item I heard in church today. In 2005 a lady from somewhere in the USA set up a ministry in Niger. She helped dig wells and set up a church called "promise land". She's been unable to go back since 2007 due to increased extremist activity, but in 2011/12, with the unrest in North African countries, around 4000 people have been led to Christ by that ministry and are now going back to their home countries (Egypt, Libya, etc.) to spread the gospel. Our God is great! Maranatha!
Scott, thanks for such a thorough synopsis, and such a message of hope.
WV, joining in prayer for our persecuted Brothers and Sisters.
Dylan, joining in rejoicing rejoicing.
PROPHECY UPDATE: Persecution
"Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other...because of the increase in wickedness, the love of most will grow cold..." (Matthew 24:9-11)
Take a look at these stark examples (the article is too long to post), as it is worth reading. Take a step back and ponder the illogic of this persecution: Christians pose a threat to no one; the growing persecution represents a manifestation of the epic battle of good vs evil - a battle that is rapidly drawing to a close but will reach its pinnacle during the Tribulation.
At the suggestion of the head of district police, Muslim leaders agreed to give the Christians three days to tear down their own church buildings. The Muslims formed a group to monitor the Christians, with the understanding that police would tear down the unregistered churches if they were still standing in three days.
Iran: Letter From Youcef
The intro is seen below; the entire letter is worth reading, as this Christian faces death:
Syrian troops have regained control of a rebellious Damascus suburb after a 10-day assault that left dozens dead, hundreds wounded and caused a major humanitarian crisis, activists said Saturday.
Two days before the oil embargo went into effect, Saudi Arabia and the UAE activated two extra oil pipelines bypassing Hormuz and providing alternative routes for their oil to continue to flow to export markets if the Straits are blocked.
American and French forces went on standby at this port since Saturday. Tehran could attack both of these pipelines as one form of reprisal for the tough, new sanction.
Friday, June 29, a senior Revolutionary Guards Corp general announced that missiles with a range of 300 kilometers were to be installed on Iranian warships on duty in the vicinity of the Hormuz Straits.
The Al-Qaeda-Muslim Brotherhood Coalition
Not long ago the Arab Spring was seen as a harbinger of democracy. It turns out that, instead, it's creating breeding grounds for international terror--and safe havens for al-Qaeda itself.
That is not just a polemical opinion but the somber assessment of the director-general of Britain's MI5 internal security agency, Jonathan Evans.
Evans specifically said that British jihadis, who have been training for years at al-Qaeda strongholds in Yemen and Somalia, "are known to be receiving training in the likes of Libya and Egypt"
The MI5 chief also confirmed that al-Qaeda is now active in Syria, and "warned against suggestions that al-Qaeda's threat has 'evaporated' following the death of Osama bin Laden and significant victories in Pakistan." He noted that Britain, for its part, has "experienced a credible terrorist attack plot about once a year since 9/11."
Evans didn't say in what part of Egypt the jihadis are training. Israel, though, has been aware that--particularly since the winds of "spring" toppled Egypt's pro-Western Mubarak regime--the presence of al-Qaeda and other global-jiha
d elements has been rapidly growing at least in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.
Still more significant, though, is the fact that "permissive environments" where al-Qaeda is coming back to roost--"Arab Spring" countries like Egypt, Libya, and Syria--are also places where the Muslim Brotherhood has been gaining strength.
The Road To Serfdom 2012
Internal Revenue Service has just become Barack Obama’s domestic army. That is what we face now.”
Somewhere between 18 and 22 new taxes will be levied because of this ruling. Some begin next year. I don’t know about you, but we are having trouble making it now and we are already worried about the heavy food inflation we are seeing here. I definitely wonder how we will make it with these new taxes if they come into play.
We have to view these events as "road paving" as we race down this road to the Tribulation. We were destined to see this process in it's early stages - Jesus warned of this aspect of biblical prophecy as well:
"...but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come."
The bride is patiently enduring. The bride is patiently awaiting the bridegroom to come, in order take her away to the wedding, just as the ancient Jewish wedding customs would dictate.
That promise is always worth remembering and today is no exception:
I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going"
Jesus' words?
"See to it that you are not alarmed"
"Such things must happen"
"Trust in God; trust also in me"
Let's cling to these words in the last days - darker and darker days on this earth as the last rise of evil surfaces - a rise that cannot be completed while the Holy Spirit resides on the earth within the Bride of Christ - the Church.
Jesus knew we would be exposed to this era in history - before the gathering up. He knew we'd see these ominous developments as the world prepares to enter the Tribulation.
He also wants our focus to be entirely on Him and His coming:
We have no reason to fear and we have no reason for apprehension. Our sole focus should be on Jesus who is returning for His beloved Bride.
After all, we're just on the threshold of that event.
Posted by Scott at Sunday, July 01, 2012
Praying fro the persecuted church as we wait for the coming of the Lord.
A praise item I heard in church today. In 2005 a lady from somewhere in the USA set up a ministry in Niger. She helped dig wells and set up a church called "promise land". She's been unable to go back since 2007 due to increased extremist activity, but in 2011/12, with the unrest in North African countries, around 4000 people have been led to Christ by that ministry and are now going back to their home countries (Egypt, Libya, etc.) to spread the gospel. Our God is great! Maranatha!
Scott, thanks for such a thorough synopsis, and such a message of hope.
WV, joining in prayer for our persecuted Brothers and Sisters.
Dylan, joining in rejoicing rejoicing.