CHURCH SAFETY

 

Welcome to another episode of Christian Warrior Training! In today's episode, we delve into a crucial topic: terrorism and church security. As Christians, our faith calls us to be vigilant and prepared in the face of potential threats. Join your host, Keith Graves, as he discusses the importance of recognizing and addressing the clues of a future terrorist event at our churches. From surveillance activities to elicitation techniques, we explore the intricate details that can help our church security teams stay one step ahead. Tune in as we provide valuable insights and practical tips to ensure the safety of our congregations. Stay tuned, warriors, as we equip ourselves to protect the sanctity of our churches against those who wish to do harm. Let's get started on this eye-opening journey together!

Roman Catholicism: Run!

An earnest plea to Roman Catholics:

Where the Gospel of Roman Catholicism Fails:

The Pope and Catholicism:

 Roman Catholicism: RUN don't walk!

Israel: Pray for Peace!

 

With a heavy heart, I add my 2 cents on the incredibly sad and dark and devastating evil taking place in Israel. We pray for all those who are caught in the crossfire.

I open up with the necessity of Christ in these times, the ONLY hope for humanity. I believe that the Jewish people, as a nation have found their way back to the land because of Godly appointment - whether they know it or not. Whether they're secular or religious. Despite that there are more Jews scattered still outside of Israel, God wants them to be maintained as a separate people, and being in their own land has established this by God's miraculous hand. When we cry out for the peace of Jerusalem, we're also crying out, "Maranatha", "Come Lord Jesus!". Jesus said that on that day, Israel will finally recognize Him as Messiah, and their hearts will be deeply pierced in repentance. #Israel #Hamas #Peace #middleeast #war #Zion #Zionism #endtimes #Eschatology #JesusChrist #lastdays #endoftheage #prophesy #stereoapp #Christianpodcast #Christian #Christianity #repentance #evil #genocide #terrorism

The Great Tribulation is NOW!

 

Are we in the "Great Tribulation"?

Many believe in an allotted time which is described as "the great tribulation" towards the time right before Christ returns.   Again, the distinction between tribulation and "the great tribulation". 

 

I try not to debate eschatology too dogmatically because I believe that the theology and the prophetic writings found in end times prophesy needs to be approached differently than the rest of theology.

There indeed is certain theology which will be affected by ones eschatology and vise/versa but among brothers, this needs to be a respected in-house debate, and the only way to do that is through respect and spiritual maturity.  

However, many Christians believe that unless you can say that "Christ can come at any time", you would be drawing a bit too close to arguing against immanency...

To say that The Lord's return is not immanent is to step too close to a worst position of "time setting"...   Most Christians don't want to be accused of time setting the coming of Christ.   No way!

And so, we've now stepped into MY position on the matter of whether there is a distinction between tribulation and "the great tribulation".  

 

If The Lord can come at any time... then God's church is either in tribulation NOW or there's no immanency of Christ's return, and we can say,....."Christ can't come yet"...

Get it?

So Christian, where are you on this matter?

What do you think?

Are we in the great tribulation or not?

My Pre-Trib brothers will say we're not because the bowl and seal judgments in the book of Revelation haven't started.  

  

Unfortunately, by believing this, inevitably, they make themselves "time setters" and can't believe in Christ's imminent return.   (That's how I see it)

As an Amillennialist, I believe that those bowl and seal judgments are as SYMBOLIC as much of what's written in Bible end times prophesy, and therefore, those judgements are happening now!

*Consider that the persecution of Christ's Church has NOT stopped since Christ ascended. 

*Consider that the spirit of antichrist as been at work since the days of Christ.

These are the two distinctions The Apostle Paul revealed to the Church of Thessalonians on the question of, "has Christ already returned" which they were dealing with at that time.

Paul was admonishing them to continue in their faith and hold down their patience as they were experiencing persecution. 

Persecution of the Church and the work of antichrist has ebbed and flowed throughout the last 2000 years and as it is written in 2 Thessalonians 2:6 --- 

"And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed" 

 

It would take a lot to unfold how those seal and trumpet signs as well as the bowl judgements are understood symbolically but that's for a later and longer blog.

But the moral of the story is that we should NOT consider that these prophetic happenings are just things for the future ... I believe they're happening NOW.

I believe the hearts of men (the world system); the globalization and the climactic signs in earthquakes, mudslides, wildfires, tornados, hurricanes, etc.  are ....

THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES.

God's chosen people were expecting the coming of their Messiah 

but they completely missed the signs of the times.... 

Let's not make that same error in our time and receive the same rebuke from The Lord!

On the issue of "natural disasters" we've seen in 2023 so far...

Hurricane Idalia rips through Georgia reportedly killing 1 person..

The Maui wildfires killing approximately 100 people...

Illinois tornados causing much damage and reportedly killing 4 in Texas...and many tornados killing approx. 32 people across 8 US states...

Papua New Guinea hit by a 7.0 Magnitude earthquake...

7.8 Earthquake in Turkey and Syria which left thousands dead..

Deluge in California US which reportedly swept away a 5 year old boy in January... 

 "And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him, they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. 2But He replied to them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ 3And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? 4An evil and adulterous generation eagerly seeks for a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away."

Matthew 16:1-4

Church attendance continues to drop

 

The falling away, the rebellion, 

THE APOSTACY in the last days:

2 Thessalonians Chapt. 2:

2:1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,
2 that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.
3 Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
5 Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?
6 And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed.
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way.
8 Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;
9 that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,
10 and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.
11 For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false,
12 in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
13 But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.
14 It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.
16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace,
17 comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.

=========

Truly there is a distracting delusion upon people today.

Hebrews 10:25 encourages us not to forsake the assembling especially "as you see the day approaching".   How can we discern the day approaching?  Christ rebuked the religious leaders of His day because they couldn't tell the "signs of the times".

Could that be us today?  I believe so.   Those of us who consider ourselves religious but can't tell the signs of the times we're in today.  And yet, no one can argue against the fact that we're in unprecedented times.

We are the live as though The Lord can come at any moment.

"Point Of No Return America." The Faithful Outcasts Pt.15

 

UAP: What are they really?

 

As Christians, how should we regard this conversation of UFO/UAP?

This is gaining attention in high government and NASA itself holding hearings to discuss hundreds of alleged sightings of what is presumed to be highly advanced aircraft.

The way most Christians have handled this conversation over the centuries is to equate anything of advanced technology or anything of supernatural manifestation by looking into end times Biblical prophesy.

That's pretty much it.

This is perhaps enemy advanced technology or demonic powers... or both!   Or perhaps it could be our own military running drills and they don't want to let the general public in the know of our new advanced toys.

Regardless, it's real, it's advanced, and all we need to know is, is it friendly?

But then there is a movement of people who are literally worshipping these things and feel as though they can telepathically communicate and summons these UFO's, those folks have been around way before "ET" phoned home.

But back to us... How are we to regard these things?

Well for one, we need to get a grip because we're Biblical Christians, and our hope is in Christ not in weird manifestations, not in signs and wonders or highly advanced technologies.

None of that is as vast as God Himself.

The Word of God isn't silent about much of these things and leads us to the place where we should stand when these things come about- whether in rumor or in actual visible manifestation.

We are to be ready for all things and in all things not just to death but until the coming of The Lord Himself.

"Therefore stand"! is the Word of The Lord.

Those who don't have Christ; those who don't KNOW Christ will not be able to withstand the temptation to follow along where fear and new information will lead them.

I believe we're living in the last days of the end of the age, and I believe we've been at the end of the age SINCE The Lord ascended.

SIGNS AND WONDERS:   There are many who disregard signs and wonders and yet #1, they're in our Bibles, #2, they're important for us to know the power of God and the power of our supernatural enemies, #3, it's inextricably linked to OUR POWER in Christ through faith, and #4, God is in control of the epochs of time and how He moves, and what He wills....  The manifestations of signs and wonders in the last days could very well be happening NOW (depending on how differently we can understand and interpret them) and will continue to unfold right until The Lord's appearing.

In other words, signs and wonders are subject to interpretation but not subject to accept or deny.   They DID HAPPEN but the question to be openly argue is HOW did it happen?

Unfortunately, this is too spiritual and deep for a quick blog like this.  There's more to admonish and Exhort on this subject but to wrap it up on this brief blog, let me end with precious and powerful guidance from The Word of God made available to us to prepare and strengthen us in this last time:

Acts 7:36

This man (Moses) led them out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years.

 

 

Acts 2:43

Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.

Matthew 24:24

For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.

 

2 Thessalonians 2:9

that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders,

 

    Revelation 13:11-17

11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon. 12 He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. 13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. 14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. 15 And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, 17 and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name. 

......

State Religion coming soon!

Chinese Province Forces Believers to Apply Online to Attend Church

 link   https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/christopher-eyte/chinese-province-forces-believers-to-apply-online-to-attend-church.html

A crackdown on spiritual activities is forcing Chinese Christians in the Henan province to apply online for permission to attend church.

The ‘Smart Religion’ requirements app created by the Henan provincial religious department does not have a legal basis, China Aid reports. There has been a drop in numbers attending churches because of the introduced measures.

Henan has a large Christian population, and believers must now register and make appointments for any religious activity via the ‘Smart Religion’ application. It was created by the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Commission of Henan Province. Muslims and other religions have also been affected by the same controlling directive.

According to China Aid, those registering first need to choose the intended religious venue and no key search words are allowed, such as ‘Christianity’ or ‘Catholicism.’

Personal information is then inputted to make a reservation: name, date of birth, phone number, ID number, permanent residence, and occupation. Church attendees must also give a reservation code and have their bodily temperature checked. Older people would be guided by officials in using the mobile phone application.

(Click on link above for the whole article)

Do we truly think that this can't happen in the USA?

This in fact did already happen here as a trial run... 

Do you remember the approximate 2-year fiasco and shut downs that happen during the Corona Virus plan-demic?   Many believe this was a trial run and many believe this will soon happen again.

And what if it were to happen again?

We saw what happen!

We saw how people reacted.. 

We  saw how neighbor fought against neighbor... 

We experienced the inconsistencies and the bad and dishonest governing bodies literally creating rules and laws out of thin air -  for the sake of the "greater good".  

Church services were relegated to Zoom meetings ... and many were satisfied with that.  Threats and arrests were made.

Singing hymns was discouraged... Gathering and worship congregations discouraged while violent and disruptive leftist protests were encouraged.... 

The next time around will be better?... You think?

Pray so that you'll be able to stand in the evil day.

=====

JESUS REIGNS NOW!!

 

Check out the poll where I ask:  "Is Christ reigning now?"

There are spiritual realities that we often take for granted or sometimes don't focus on...gifts and realities that are God's promises to us that if we TRULY believed, we'd have incredible amount of spiritual strength in our walk.

If we consider that we're now IN the tribulation - ever since the 1rst century of the Church, we'd perhaps pay more attention to our brothers and sisters around the world who are and have never stopped being persecuted, and put to death for Christ' name.  This has never stopped since Christ ascended.   

Yet the Gospel of the Kingdom has continued going to all 4 corners of the earth and The Church has indeed "done greater works than these you'll do because I go to my Father". As He said in John 14:12.  This is what He was talking about.  The Gospel.  The bounding of Satan is for the sake of the Gospel "which is the power of God unto salvation".  

The Gospel is the great commission, it is the very last command The Lord handed down to His Church... and so, as soon as Satan is said to be loosed, what does he do in Rev. 20, he goes back to preventing the gospel from going around the world in deception and this against the proclamation of The Gospel.  

There's an allotted time to spread The Gospel, and every single day, while we occupy this earthly existence, we should be loving our neighbors, and doing the work of God.  

Jesus told His disciples, "I have food you know nothing about... my food is to do the will of My Father".    That was right after He was evangelizing His neighbor, the Samaritan woman.  

Let us be convicted to do likewise!

Thanks for listening and join me on the next one, God bless!

Uganda: Christian brother murdered by Muslims

 

(curtesy Christian headlines.com)

NAIROBI, Kenya, January 11, 2023 (Morning Star News) – A 37-year-old father of four was killed on Jan. 2 after participating in a Christian-Muslim debate in eastern Uganda at which 13 Muslims put their faith in Christ, sources said.

This brother had been converted from the Muslim faith, and dedicated his life to bringing the truth of Christ to other Muslims.  Over 100 of them have converted to Christianity because of this brother's ministry, so this was the result.  

Consider the Word of God:

   10“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 11[“For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.]

      12“What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? 13“If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. 14“So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish. - Matthew 18: 10-14 

This doesn't just apply to his referring to children as the ones brought to Christ for Him to bless but that the character of those in Heaven would be "such as these" (Matthew 19:14) (accepting, innocent, loving, joyful, peaceful, playful, etc.).  This is then compared to any one of these lost as sheep who Heaven rejoices over the others who are not lost. (another parallel: Luke 15:32 the prodigal son)

This brother, Ahamada Mafabi loved SO MUCH, he risked His life for the gospel of Christ.  He had a wife and four children.  He set out to find God's sheep, and found over 100 of them in a years time.  

Why?  Because there's nothing else but Christ that can bring true joy and peace.  When we feed off of the "Bread of life" and we drink from the "fountain of living water", there's no going back!  

The Apostle Peter said, "Where else can we go, you Lord have the words of eternal life!"  

How often don't we dispute and debate in religious circles in our country, here at home, without risk to our lives ... 

But in so many nations around the world, The Lord is bringing in souls CONSTANTLY to Him, in truth - and it's through people like Ahamada Matabi who The Holy Spirit indwells, and in love of the truth, obediently heralds The Gospel of the Kingdom.

"Repent, The Kingdom of Heaven

Is at hand" 

- Mark 1:15

Let's not be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  For it is the power of God unto salvation for every one who believes (Romans 1:16)

Here's the rest of the article on our brother saint now in Heaven and support his family if you can.  

Radical Muslims kill Christian after religion debate

God bless.

Christian Evangelism: The world hates it!

 Since The Lord Jesus left, He commissioned The faithful to continue proclaiming the Good news to all who could hear, and thus The Gospel of Jesus Christ - The redemptive message of salvation, the power over sin and death has been proclaimed to all nations, and continues to do so.  The god of this world is bound from preventing the Gospel message from going out. Where it reaches, it restores lives but the world can only then threaten and try to stop the spread of the Gospel by force of persecution and death.  Today, there are more than 20 nations recorded as overtly persecuting and murdering God's elect around the world.  But the message is already out - until The Lord's return when He'll restore all things!  That time will be marked by the fullness of the world's hate over God's saints, and a global apostacy in order to fall into a deception ripe for God's final judgement upon the earth.  #maranatha   Revelation Chapt. 20:

"Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years;
3 and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time

...

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Attacks on American Churches Have Increased 174 Percent (article)

 

Attacks on American Churches Have Increased 174 Percent Since 2018: New Report

Michael Foust | ChristianHeadlines.com Contributor | Monday, December 19, 2022

The number of documented attacks on churches has steadily increased in recent months and years, with a dramatic uptick in 2022 in abortion-related vandalism related to the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade, according to a landmark new report.

The report by the D.C.-based Family Research Council uncovered a total of 420 documented acts of hostility against 397 individual churches between January 2018 and September 2022. There were 50 in 2018, but that quickly increased to 83 in 2019, 96 in 2021 and 137 in 2022 (through September). There were 54 documented incidents of hostility against churches in 2020 – a decrease from the previous year that the report's authors attributed to the pandemic when much of the country was on lockdown or not traveling much.

The number of attacks on churches from 2018 to 2022 represents a 174 percent increase.

The report examined vandalism, arson, arson attempts and shootings. Most of the "acts of hostility" – 342 of the 420 – involved vandalism, the report said.

The report's findings mirror similar data by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which found an increase in anti-Christian hate crimes: from 172 in 2018 to 217 in 2019, to 240 in 2021.

"Criminal acts of vandalism and destruction of church property are likely symptomatic of a collapse in societal reverence and respect for houses of worship and religion – in this case, churches and Christianity," the report said. "Americans appear increasingly comfortable lashing out against church buildings, pointing to a larger societal problem of marginalizing core Christian beliefs, including those that touch on hot-button political issues related to human dignity and sexuality."

Many of the acts of hostility in 2022 involved abortion-related violence. The report found 57 instances that "were directly tied to pro-abortion protests or contained pro-abortion messages" during that year. For example, four Catholic churches in Wisconsin this summer were vandalized with pro-choice graffiti. By contrast, there were only five incidents of abortion-related attacks on churches between 2019 and 2021.

Arielle Del Turco, the report's author and the assistant director of the Center for Religious Liberty at the Family Research Council, said the report's findings are troubling.

"The problem of acts of hostility against churches in the United States is widespread and growing," Del Turco said. "This is not a trend that should be shrugged off. When churches are targeted for acts of destruction, arson, or threatening messages, it has the potential to be intimidating – and sometimes, that's the intention. Within the past few years especially, outpourings of political anger have sometimes correlated with vandalism and other acts against churches. When faced with such blatant violence and disrespect against churches (and religion more broadly), our response must be to condemn these acts and reaffirm the right of all people to worship and live out their faith freely – including the freedom to live without fear that they will be the next target of such an attack."

(Taken from Christianheadlines.com)

https://www.christianheadlines.com/contributors/michael-foust/attacks-on-american-churches-have-increased-174-percent-since-2018-new-report.html

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Those who have the "Beast System" running on the inside of them will start getting sort of weird about others celebrating the incarnation of The Christ unto the world, and will display impulsive fits of anger, and hate.

This one guy couldn't help himself and had to take it out on a doll.  : /

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