"Slaughter Bots & The Robopocalypse"

What do the U.S., China, Russia, and Israel have in common? If you said they're all (except the U.S.) mentioned in Bible prophecy--you'd be correct, but wait...there's more.

These nations (among others) are busy "exploring" a terrifying technology known as Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS) in what is effectively a new arms race.

What's a Lethal Autonomous Weapons System you ask?

Dubbed "slaughter bots" by detractors, these sophisticated computerized micro-robots are defined by the U.S. Department of Defense as weapons "once activated, that select and engage targets without further intervention by a human operator."

Sounds efficient--but image, if you will, thousands of tiny insect-like swarms of killer drones introduced into a conflict between nations. Buzzing like a horde of vicious bees, these drones are unrelentless and lethal, designed to overwhelm an adversary autonomously, and without risk, making nuclear warfare obsolete.

Now imagine mass quantities of these micro-robots on the black market or in the hands of terrorists giving the anonymous user the power to kill thousands or millions of people.

Can't imagine such a thing? You don't have to--just click here to watch a 7 minute dramatization of "Slaughterbots" in horrific action.

A wise man once said: "Lethal autonomous weapons threaten to become the third revolution in warfare. Once developed, they will permit armed conflict to be fought at a scale greater than ever, and at timescales faster than humans can comprehend. Those can be weapons of terror, weapons that despots and terrorists use against innocent populations, and weapons hacked to behave in undesirable ways. We do not have long to act. Once this Pandora's box is opened, it will be hard to close. We therefore implore the High Contracting Parties to find a way to protect us all from these dangers." -- Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, Inc.

"See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil."  Ephesians 5:15

News:

• The Washington Post: Doomsday Clock moved to 2 minutes to 'midnight', the symbolic hour of the apocalypse; "looming threats of nuclear war and climate change," cited.
• DEBKAfile: "U.S. will never let Iran acquire a nuclear weapon," says U.S. V.P. Mike Pence.
• Reuters: Russia probes software used by U.S. government; puts U.S. computer networks in jeopardy. 

"How To Get Your Prayers Answered"

So what do atheists do in response to personal crisis or tragedy? The same thing most Christians do--they pray.

That's right, folks, one in four non-believers pray despite not believing in God, according to a recent poll conducted by ComRes, a UK polling firm.

While this survey was taken in the UK, U.S.-based Pew Poll had similar results when it came to peoples prayer habits. It seems the majority of us like to multi-task, calling on God while:

• cooking --20%
• exercising--12%
• doing household chores--20%

Popular prayer topics include:

• family--71%
• thanking God--42%
• healing--40%
• friends--40%

The sad thing? Less than half of those who prayed believe God actually hears their prayers.

The truth?

God hears everything: the good, the bad and the ugly--including our prayers.

CBN writer Linda J. Gilden insists , "God hears your prayer. He delights when we come to Him and ask Him to help us. He wants to give us the things we need. Sometimes the answers we get to prayer aren't what we want or expect or they take longer than we think they should."

Jesus said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing. Anyone who parts from Me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if you stay joined to Me and My words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted. My true disciples produce much fruit. This brings great joy to My Father." John 15:5-8

Here's how evangelist Greg Laurie unpacks this message:

1. A Disciple Stays Close To The Master. You sink your roots deep into your relationship with Jesus, allowing Him to fill every part of your life. If you maintain this unbroken fellowship with God, a changed lifestyle will result.
2. A Disciple Is Fruitful. Just as a branch can only be fruitful when attached to the vine, we can only be productive when we draw our strength from Jesus.
3. A Disciple Obeys The Master. A clear sign that you are Christ's disciple is your obedience to the principles and guidelines found in His Word, the Bible.
4. A Disciple Loves Others. This may mean placing someone else's needs before your own.

If our prayers seem to go unanswered, maybe we should "poll" ourselves to see if we are true disciples. When we want what God wants, our prayers are always answered.

A wise man once said: "Studying the Bible is important to every Christian's spiritual growth. Without Bible study, Christians cannot know and understand God's commands and truth." -- Greg Laurie, pastor/evangelist

"I have told you this so you will be filled with My joy." John 15:11

News:

• The Hill: Poll: Oprah outperforms many top Dems in hypothetical election against Trump.
• Pew Research Center: 75% say it is never acceptable for a news organization to favor one political party over others when reporting the news.
• Facttank: Just 50% of U.S, adults get news from television, down from 57% in 2016. 

"Fire and Fury: Is Trump a Crazy-Man Child or Crazy Like a Wolff?"

According to Michael Wolff's best-selling new book Fire and Fury, the leader of the free world is an overgrown lunatic man-child who never wanted the job in the first place.

Apparently, there is chaos in the White House. And if you were hoping Trump was going to Make America Great Again, you can just fuggetaboutit--he's "crazy", says Wolff.

Or...is Wolff the crazy one? After all, he published his book as non-fiction, even though in the introduction Wolff says that many of the accounts "are in conflict with one another" and may be "badly untrue," according to The Hill.com.

hmmm...is Wolff crazy or is it the publishers? Both made a ton of money...so maybe it's the people who paid them the money to buy a book the writer admitted was fiction but was published as fact...hmmm...

One thing is sure, it isn't Trump. Crazy man-children rarely accomplish so much in one year.

In an article for Brietbart, John Nolte said of Wolff's book:

"...gives off the unmistakably stale aroma of last season's fake news. If we are to believe Wolff, the Trump White House is a hive of toxic dysfunction and chaos, primarily due to the fact that President Trump is a mentally unstable, illiterate man-child with no impulse control, no sense of direction, no purpose (other than self-aggrandizement), and lacks the intellect required to grasp the policy he has no interest in."

Notle contends there is just one "yuge" problem:

"A mentally unsound man-child overseeing an administration crippled by anarchy will not see a record number of his appellate judges confirmed, will not oversee the successful passage of the most important tax reform in 30 years, will not annihilate ISIS without adding a single boot on the ground.

"In just 365 days, Trump has turned around a stagnant economy, exploded the number of manufacturing jobs, seen black and Hispanic unemployment drop to record lows, opened up two oil pipelines (and all kinds of exploration), enjoyed victory after victory in the Supreme Court in pursuit of his immigration priorities, negotiated a $250 billion trade deal with China, brought North Korea to the negotiating table from a position of strength, expertly managed the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, untangled us from stupid deals known as TPP and the Paris Climate Accord, and a whole lot more."

Are these the achievements of a crazy man? If so then Donald Trump is crazy like a Wolff--Michael Wolff, the guy who made lots of money selling a book he said wasn't true.

A wise man once said: "A half-truth is even more dangerous than a lie. A lie, you can detect at some stage but half a truth is sure to mislead you for long." --Anurag Shourie, Half A Shadow

"...in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money...; they will slander others and have no self-control; they will be cruel and have no interest in what is good" --2 Timothy 3:1,3.

News:

• CBS This Morning: Wolff Admits: Didn't Interview Any WH Cabinet Officials For Anti-Trump Book; meanwhile book flies off shelves with publisher rushing to print 1M copies.
• The Washington Times: S.Korean president credits Trump for talks with N.Korea.
• Fox News Channel: Walmart credits Trump tax cuts for pay hikes; 66% say U.S. economy 'excellent'. 

 

 

 

"Bitcoin and The Beast"

While some people are going bonkers for Bitcoin--even mortgaging their homes to buy it--the rest of us are scratching our heads wondering what it is.

According to Fortune Magazine:

"Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency that can be bought, sold, or traded like a commodity. It can also be used to buy goods.

"Bitcoin is different than U.S. dollars because it uses peer-to-peer technology to operate. That means there is no central authority--in this example, the U.S. Treasury--to issue new money or track transactions. Those functions are built into Bitcoin itself--specifically the so-called "block chain" technology that powers Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies which is one reason it's such an attractive, and controversial, concept."

In other word, Bitcoin (as well as other cryptocurrencies) allow for anonymous transactions. That means no banks are needed.

Prophecy students should be perking up about now. The Bible describes a time when anonymous transactions will mean the difference between life and death for those left behind during the Great Tribulation. And since we know a good many will survive this period...does that mean they'll be using Bitcoin? Probably not. But they will be using something.

"He required everyone--great and small, rich and poor, slave and free--to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name." (Revelation 13:16-17)

What to expect from Central Bank. Talk on Bitcoin in 2018.

A wise man once said: "Antichrist's mark will allow people to engage in daily commerce, including the purchase of food and other necessities. Without the identifying mark, individuals will be cut off from the necessities of life." --John MacArthur, Grace To You

News:

• Kitco News: Billionaire Peter Thiel Buys $20 Million Worth of Cryptos; compares Bitcoin to "Gold"
• Reuters: Bitcoin Maybe King, But Ripple Dark Horse In Crypto Race; Bitcoin jumped more than 1,200% last year. Ripple surged 35,000% in same period.
• Money Morning.com: Cryptocurrency Ripple (XRP) "could become a global reserve currency in the future," analysts claim.