Endtime Deception

What is the biggest threat to our world today?

If you're thinking nuclear war, pandemics, or natural disasters, we'd say, "close, but no cigar."

Scripture is replete with warnings, but one looms larger than all the rest: deception.

The Bible says Satan is the god of this world and calls him the "father of lies." Spending his time whispering his heresies into the ears of unsuspecting people, Satan loves to deceive, kill, and destroy. Let's face it, gang, there's a war going on, an invisible, cosmic contest for the souls of men.

God wants you in heaven. Satan wants you in hell. It really is as simple as that.

Because Lucifer is an 'angel of light', he's an expert at making good look evil and evil look good. He hates God and God's people and is working overtime to make sure the world does too. A recent Gallop Poll shows that a majority of Americans would rather live next door to a terrorist than a Christian.

Huh?!?

Actually, we shouldn't be surprised.

Jesus warned us. He said, "When the world hates you, remember it hated Me before it hated you. The world would love you if you belonged to it, but you don't. I chose you to come out of the world, and so it hates you...the people of the world will hate you because you belong to Me, for they don't know God who sent Me. (John 15:18).

1 John 2:11 says: "Anyone who hates a Christian is living and walking in darkness. Such a person is lost, having been blinded by the darkness." In other words, being a Christian will not win you any popularity contests with unbelievers because "the sinful nature is always hostile to God. (Romans 8:7).

To make matters even worse, Satan and his minions have wormed their way into the church! False teachers abound. 2 Peter 2:2 says, "Many will follow their evil teachings and shameful immorality. And because of them, Christ and His true way will be slandered."

1 Timothy 4:1 says, "Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from what we believe; they will follow lying spirits and teachings that come from demons. These teachers are hypocrites and liars. They pretend to be religious, but their consciences are dead."
Looks pretty bleak, doesn't it? Just remember this: We have a secret weapon that sends the enemy trembling in fear--the Holy Spirit.

The Bible says, "Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; in stead, rebuke and expose them." (Ephesians 5:11).

This is exactly what we intend to do...stay tuned.

News:

• US and world stock markets soar on news of European debt fix
• Study: Japan nuclear radiation levels higher than estimated
• Google reports 70% increase of requests by US gov't. to take down videos from Internet that contain gov't. criticism
• Vatican calls for a World central bank run by UN. Also calls for world gov't. and end to national sovereignty
• BP Oil given approval to resume deepwater drilling in Gulf of Mexico
• President of Mexico asks US to stop deporting criminals back to Mexico saying it fuels violence on the border
• On Halloween the US national debt will surpass the GDP. (translation: The Fed will owe more than what is produced all year long by Americans.)  Trick-or-treat!

Does The Bible Predict A Global Economic Collapse?

Part 2

If the Bible does not speak directly about a global economic collapse, why have prophecy teachers always taught there would be one? Because, just as the doctrine of the Trinity is never spelled out for us, it is undeniably there. An economic collapse is there too--by implication.

One only has to read the Book of Revelation to get a glimpse of what's coming. There will be wars, pestilence, famine and terrible natural disasters, like massive earthquakes, unprecidented drought, heatwaves, and humungus hailstones. Revelation 6 releases the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse; #3 mentions food prices. "When the Lamb broke the third seal, I heard the third living being say, "Come!" And I looked up and saw a black horse, and its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. And a voice from among the four living beings said, "A loaf of wheat bread or three loaves of barley for a day's pay. And don't waste the olive oil and wine." This rider on the black horse takes prosperity from the earth and replaces it with famine and hyperinflation.

The Book of James doesn't mince words when it says in Chapter 5: "Look here, you rich people, weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. Your wealth is rotting away and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags. Your gold and silver have become worthless. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh in hell. This treasure you have accumulated will stand as evidence against you in the last days."

These scriptures (among others) paint a bleak economic picture, but Revelation 13:16-17 is the clincher: "He (Antichrist) required everyone--great and small, rich and poor, slave or free--to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything with out that mark..."

Well, we don't know about you--but most people would probably balk at giving up their money in exchange for a mark...unless, of course, their money didn't cut the mustard anymore. The Bible makes it clear these judgments will emcompass the entire planet. Who could have guessed 2,000 years ago we'd end up with a global economy?

This doesn't necessarily mean that our current global economic troubles are in any way connected to Bible prophecy. It's possible the world will recover, (or at least seem to do so).

In fact, some Scriptures imply things will appear to be humming along like normal just before the end. In Luke 17, Jesus says: "When the Son of Man returns, the world will be like the people were in Noah's day. In those days before the flood, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came to destroy them all..yes, it will be 'business as usual' right up to the hour when the Son of Man returns."

1Thessalonians 5 says that Day will come "unexpectantly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, 'All is well; everything is peaceful and secure', then disaster will fall upon them as suddenly as a woman's birth pains begin when her child is born. And there will be no escape."

Sounds contradictory until you remember that there are yet two comings of Christ:

1. The rapture of the church. The church will be rescued, but the world at large will be caught completely off guard and left behind to endure the time of trial that will come upon the whole earth. (Revelation 3:10).
2. The Second Coming of Christ.  Comes 7 years later, when the world is neck deep in judgment.

We're betting the final economic collapse comes sometime between these two events. It's possible the sudden disappearence of millions of people triggers the collapse. Imagine the panic, the absolute chaos.

So, if the Bible predicts a global economic collapse, are we seeing the beginnings of it now? We don't know. It could be just another economic cycle, or it could be one of those famous 'birth pains'. Only time will tell.


A wise man once said: "You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You cannot build character and courage by taking away man's initiative."

News:

• Israeli soldier, Gilead Shalit, was released today in exchange for 477 Palestinian prisoners
• U.S. Postal Service lost $8 billion in 2010 and expects a greater loss for fiscal 2011
• Powerful new worm, "Son of Stuxnet", poses threat to computers globally
• S & P downgrades Italian banks

Does The Bible Predict A Global Economic Collapse?

Part One

Though the Scriptures don't spell it out, there are enough hints to give us a pretty good idea that all will not remain rosy on the economic front. But let's be careful not to allow our interpretations of Bible prophecy to be colored by apparent trends in current events. As difficult as it is sometimes, let's close our eyes to what is happening in our world today and allow the Bible to be its own interpreter.

An important reminder: Bible prophecy is often purposely obscure or dressed in double meanings. Seemingly contradictory statements are common for very important reasons:

1. Because we have an adversary intent on foiling God's plans
2. Because God's word must be relevant to every generation. Prophecy often has both a near, or partial fulfillment, as well as a distant, or final fulfillment.

An example of this can be found in the Book of Exodus. God meant for the Passover lamb sacrificed for the Israelites to be a picture (or type) of the coming death of the Savior, Jesus Christ,                        (1 Corinthians 5:7), the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world 1,446 years later.

So what does the Bible say about a coming economic collapse?

Actually, it says very little--directly.

Next week we'll examine exactly what it does say.

A wise man once said:
     "An unexamined life is not worth living."

News:

• Hopes of an EU bank bailout ease economic tension on Wall Street
• Iranian terror plot to assassinate Saudi and Israeli diplomats on U.S. soil uncovered
• Israel and Palestinians agree to a prisoner exchange: Israel will release 1,000 Palestinian prisoners for one kidnapped Israeli soldier

Are We The Terminal Generation?

So what indications do we have of Christ's soon return that other generations lacked?

Before answering that question it is imperative that we understand a few things:

• God has a purpose for mankind
• History is not happenstance
• Prophecy reveals that plan in advance

In Matthew 24, Jesus says the generation that sees the events He described beginning to happen will not pass away before everything happens; in other words, the end-time events will all take place within one generation.

In 1948:

• The nation of Israel was restored
• The transistor chip was invented
• The global economy was born with the creation of GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) which was replaced by the World Trade Organization
• The seeds of a global government were planted with the creation of the United Nations
• The Treaty of Rome was signed which evolved into the European Union
• The World Council of Churches was formed which will eventually morph into a one world religion
• The predecessor of NATO, the Treaty of Brussels, was signed

All seven of these events have profound prophetic significance, and set the stage for the fulfillment of all the rest of the prophecies. Is it just coincidence they all began in 1948?

Remember God has a purpose for everything that happens. History = His Story. He has a purpose and a plan for mankind and a purpose and a plan for us. Our job is to figure out what it is. The good news? Everything we need has already been complied for us in one big book. All we have to do is look.

Oh, and guess what else was invented just before God hit the start button in 1948?

The famous Doomsday Clock! Introduced in June of 1947, it was set at (a prophetic?!) SEVEN minutes til midnight.

Words of wisdom:

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12).

News:

• Stocks rise on hopes EU will get their financial house in order
• Iran threatened to send warships into American waters if U.S. refused to leave the Straits of Hormuz
• Wall Street protesters blanket NYC; spreads to other U.S. cities