"Like A Thief In The Night"

"First, I want to remind you that in the last days there will be scoffers who will laugh at the truth and do every evil thing they desire. This will be their argument:

'Jesus promised to come back, did He? Then where is He?'

"But you must not forget, dear friends, that a day is like a thousand years to the Lord and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn't really being slow about His promise to return, as some people think. No, He is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so He is giving more time for everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief ... and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to judgment" (2 Peter 3: 4, 8-10).

Greg Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship contends:

"The scoffers described in this passage mistook Christ's delayed return to earth to mean that there would be no final judgment at all. They not only doubted Christ's return but forgot about God's judgment in the past. More importantly, these scoffers overlooked God's love and mercy. It is for their sake that God is restraining His judgment because 'He doesn't want anyone to perish.'"

But does that mean Christ will never come back?

Not according to Jan Markell of Olive Tree Ministries. She believes that by recognizing the precise signs and patterns predicted in the Bible we can know we are the generation that will see His return.

Here's a condensed version of Markell's watchlist:

• Nationalism is scorned and globalism is celebrated, destabilizing Europe. France's Emmanuel Macron makes astounding one-world statements, including wanting to offer Israel a peace plan. If the Antichrist is to come out of Europe, that continent is preparing the way for him.
• Israel's re-birth is a reminder that God keeps His promises. Donald Trump kept a promise and moved the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem on her 70th anniversary. The dry bones prophecy of Ezekiel 37 came to life in May of 1948. This is the miracle of all time. The dry bones (Israel) stood on their feet a great army and in 2018 were declared the 8th strongest nation in the world!
• In 2018 "Birth-Pangs" became apocalyptic when unprecedented disasters struck the globe.
• Trump's decision to pull troops out of Syria opens a pathway from Iran to Israel. Russia, Turkey, Sudan, Libya and many nations are prophesied to attack Israel(Ez,38). This action could further cause Israel to strike Damascus and fulfill the Isaiah 17:1 prophecy.
• The decline in moral character and the tragic rise of evil prophesied in 2 Timothy 3 is steadily increasing. Paganism and witchcraft soar as Christianity declines with millennials proclaiming they do not need God. There is a growing love of evil while good is denounced.
• There's a shocking escalation of apostasy and mocking of Bible prophecy. Most churches no longer teach the 1/3 of the Bible which is prophecy.
• Intrusive technology invades homes and paves the way for the Antichrist.
• The Pope is the ultimate globalist who could easily slide into the role of false prophet, sidekick to the Antichrist.
• Preparation for the 3rd Temple accelerated in 2018. Prophesied to be built in Jerusalem early in the Tribulation, this activity is a sign of things to come.

A wise woman once said: "Things are falling into place. Jesus is coming soon...the headlines are a herald of His coming." -- Jan Markell

"See I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to repay all according to their deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End" (Revelation 22:12-14).

HOW TO GO TO HEAVEN!

News:

•  Fox 5: Four men brutally beat a man to steal his iPhone in Brooklyn
• DEBKAfile: Trump asks Netanyahu to make his peace plan the focal point of his campaign
• Reuters: U.S.issues China travel advisory amid increased tensions

"Trump Drops Historic Bombshell"

On Wednesday, December 6, President Donald Trump made history by announcing that the U.S. recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Not everyone was thrilled. In fact, many accuse Trump of playing with fire (including the Pope!), while the Palestinians and the Arab world are warning of violence.

Recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital--even if it did not include moving the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would, "Overturn decades of consensus among international peacemakers that any change in Jerusalem's status must come as part of a negotiated deal," according to The New York Times.

The problem? The international community and the Palestinians do not recognize the fact that the land belongs to God. God gave the land to the Jews and documented the transaction in the Old Testament.

Unfortunately, because the Jews were unfaithful to God, He scattered them throughout the nations in 70 A.D. with the promise to bring them back to the Land of Israel in the last days.

For 2,000 years the Jews were exiled and their land became the God-forsaken, sparsely populated, underdeveloped land of Palestine, which nobody wanted...until God brought the Jews back and President Truman recognized Israel as a state.

Fast forward exactly 70 years to December 6, 2017.

"Incredibly, the White House announcement comes on the Hebrew date, the 17th of Kislev, the same date on which the U.N. General Assembly adopted the Partition Plan for Palestine, recognizing the State of Israel in 1947," says The Times of Israel.

Coincidence?

A wise man once said; "Seventy years is biblically significant. You find it all through Scripture. Trump's move is historically significant. It comes exactly 70 years after his predecessor President Harry Truman recognized Israel as a state." -- Yehudah Glick, Israeli Knesset member

"Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land (Genesis 12:7).

"Thus says the Lord God: "I will gather the people of Israel from among the nations. I will bring them home to their own land from the places where they have been scattered" (Ezekiel 37:21).

News:

• DEBKAfile: Palestinian leader Abbas: "Trump announcement will lead to war"; PA calls for 3 days of rage while Khomeini derides U.S. "incompetence and failure" on Jerusalem.
• Reuters: Turkey says declaring Jerusalem Israel's capital will start "fire with no end in sight"
• FNC: Trump orders State Dept. to begin moving U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

"Donald Trump:'We're In A Big, Fat, Ugly Bubble'"

Remember all the things that used to spook the markets and scare investors into dumping stocks?

Things like political and social unrest, struggling Italian banks and increased instability in Europe--now barely have investors batting an eye. Brexit, Trump and the Italian Prime Minister step-down have all failed to rattle the markets.

Michael Block, Chief Strategist at Rhino Trading Partners, quipped Monday that "everything is a buying opportunity and you need to not miss the boat."

"Heck, all we need is a coup d' etat in India and the entire Belgian banking system to go Kablooey and the S&P 500 will be at 3,000 by Christmas Eve," he joked.

You've got to admit it is a little freaky when the markets react by pushing higher on each new political shock wave. It's just not normal.

Block is worried--and he's not the only one. Some believe what is being dubbed "The Trump Rally" may be turning into a bubble.

"Donald Trump has made the stock market great again," writes Sue Chang of Market Watch. "But that frothiness is prompting warnings that the market is getting too bubbly, setting up investors for a disappointment in coming weeks."

Even Donald Trump says we're "in a big, fat, ugly bubble" and sold all his stocks in June.

Sherlock Holmes would call that a clue.

A wise man once said: "Do not value money for any more nor any less than its worth; it is a good servant but a bad master." -- Alexandre Dumas

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know...I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" -- John 14: 1-4, 6.

News:

• CNBC: Stocks trade at record highs after European Central Bank's decision to keep interest rates unchanged.
• Hawaii News Now: Tsunami watch issued after 7.7 magnitude quake strikes near Solomon Islands; 6.5 hits off Calif. coast Thursday.
• Fox News Channel: Trump Tower advertising Secret Service protection as amenity for tenants. 

"The Trump Effect: Healing The Great Divide"

Now that the shock and awe has worn off, President-elect Donald J. Trump has a big-league job on his hands: spend the next 4-8 years making America great again.

Our job? Heal the Great Divide.

Let's face it, gang, this election cycle has been brutal. It has turned Americans against each other to a degree not seen in recent history. People are at each others throats--from the #NotMyPresident crowd taking to the streets, to the Trump Train gloaters--things have gotten down right ugly.

CBN News cited a recent Reuters/IPSOS survey indicating the election has caused:

• 15% to stop speaking to a family member or close friend
• 14% to block a family member or close friend from social media

We call this the "Trump Effect"--you're either with him (meaning the conservative platform) or against him.

CBN News spoke with Anne Graham Lotz (Billy Graham's daughter) about what Christians can do to help heal the divide.

"I think the most critical thing that God's people can do is pray. Two is to repent of our sin and three is to keep our focus on God," she said. "God is the One who will bring healing. It's not a political party or one particular person. Our faith has to be in God."

Lotz went on to say, "Prayer made the difference in the election, particularly among white, born-again evangelicals, who voted 81% for Trump, not to mention the countless churches across the nation that committed to praying for the election."

"I see what happened in this election as being a tremendous movement of God in answer to prayer."

Her challenge to God's people? Don't stop now.

A wise woman once said: "When God's people will pray with a humble heart, repenting of our sins, then God promises He will hear our prayers, He will forgive our sin and the third element is that He will heal our land." --Anne Graham Lotz

"Jesus said, 'Whoever is not with Me is against Me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.'" --Matthew 12:30

News:

• Daily Mail: Anti-Trump protests turn violent amid nationwide demonstrations involving tens of thousands
• Breitbart: Anti-Trump rioters vandalize monuments with "DIE WHITES DIE" graffiti and break windows in downtown New Orleans.
• The Daily Caller: Twitter Erupts With Calls For Donald Trump To Be Assassinated; while others call on Secret Service to investigate threats. 

"Crazy Country=Crazy Election: Let's Make America NORMAL Again"

"No matter what happens in this election, what Trump represents isn't crazy and it's not going away," said tech billionaire Peter Theil. 

Theil has made billions investing in technology, but his $1.25 million donation to Donald Trump has made him a pariah.

In the Silicon Valley, the once celebrated Theil is now being ostracized by his peers--shunned in an area where Trump support is the equivalent of social suicide. Theil doesn't care.

While Trump is far from the perfect candidate, concedes Theil, he represents a new path: Making America normal again.

"Just as much as it's about making America great, Trump's agenda is about making America a normal country," Theil said. "A normal country doesn't have a half-trillion dollar trade deficit. A normal country doesn't fight five simultaneous, undeclared wars. In a normal country, the government actually does its job."

Theil believes Trump will remake the Republican Party and spark new American politics that overcomes denial, rejects bubble thinking, and reckons with reality.

"When the distracting spectacles of this election season are forgotten and the history of our times is written, the only important question will be whether or not that new politics came too late."

"It's not a lack of judgment that leads Americans to vote for Trump; we're voting for Trump because we judge the leadership of our country to have failed."

A wise man once said: "When a society rebels against God, absurdity rules." --Tim Wildmon, American Family Association President

"Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." 1Thessalonians 5:16

"A Christian who refuses to vote for Trump because they can't look beyond the candidate to the Republican Platform is voting against:

• A child's right to life
• Constitutional Supreme Court Justices who uphold God's definition of marriage
• Defense of Israel
• 2nd Amendment and God-given rights of self-defense
• Religious liberty

Christian, recognize if Trump loses, the Republican Platform loses with him."
Listen to this message and vote biblically: What is the Christian Vote? by Pastor Jack Hibbs, Calvary Chapel Chino Hills (note: you must click on "Listen" to start)

News:

• World Net Daily: Trump V.P. pick, Mike Pence, calls  nation to prayer and repentance.
• CBN: Pastor Saeed Abedini says Trump gave his family $10,000 while he was imprisoned in Iran; urges Christians to vote for Trump.
• Fox News Channel: Sources say investigation into Clinton Foundation has taken a "very high priority" that may result in an indictment.

"Amazing Election Prediction: Professor Puts Money Where His Mouth Is"

According to Helmut Norpoth, a political science professor at Stony Brook University, the next American president will be Donald Trump.

Though the polls beg to differ, Norpoth has predicted the winner of the last five presidential elections dating back to 1996. How, you ask? By using a statistical model based on the outcomes of primaries.

"Some twenty years ago, I constructed a formula, the Primary Model, that has predicted the winner of the popular vote in all five presidential elections since it was introduced," says Norpoth.

Based on election data going all the way back to 1912, the formula has only been wrong once.

"The Primary Model," explains Norpoth, "consists of two ingredients: The swing of the electoral pendulum, and the outcome of primaries."

Norpoth contends the pendulum swings to the opposite party after two consecutive terms. The Dems have been in power for two terms. History points to a Republican win this time. Only once in the past 65 years has the pendulum stayed put: George H.W. Bush managed to win a third Republican term in 1988.

"That spells continuity," said Norpoth, " a desire for more of the same." We can thank Ronald Reagan for that.

When you add in the presidential primary results, you've got a formula that favors Republicans.

"In general, the party with the stronger primary candidate wins the general election."

"The Primary Model predicts that Trump will defeat Clinton with 87 percent certainty."

Professor Norpoth  is betting on a Republican victory--literally. He's got 500 bucks riding on the Trump Train...in spite of what the polls say.

A wise man once said: "It is time to make a decision about America's future. My hope is that we will contritely and humbly turn from our wicked ways and put our hope in God alone. There is no other remedy." --Franklin Graham, Decision-The Evangelical Voice of Today

"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land" --2 Chronicles 7:14

News:

• Reuters: NATO seeks to manage Russia's new military deployments; puzzled by Russia's behavior
• DEBKAfile: U.S., Britain to place troops in Poland, Romania, as tension with Russia rises; two Russian warships armed with cruise missiles entered the Baltic Sea Wednesday.
• CBN News: Largest Military Buildup Begins On Russian Borders Since Cold War; U.S. promises troops, tanks, and artillery to Poland. Germany, Canada, and other NATO allies also pledged forces. 

"Armageddon & The Election"

Dick Morris' new book, Armageddon: How Trump Can Beat Hillary, is the number three bestseller in the nation, according to The New York Times. 

"This may be the last election where the United States has a two-party system," warns Morris, best known as a former Clinton adviser and political strategist who has since 'gone rogue'.

"The 2016 election is truly America's Armageddon--the ultimate and decisive battle to save America, a fight to defeat Hillary Clinton and the forces seeking to flout our constitutional government and replace it with an all-powerful president backed-up by an activist judiciary that answers to no one."

(Besides being a run-on sentence, Morris' definition of armageddon flies wild regardless of which side of the political spectrum one leans...but we digress).

For the first time, reports DOWNTREND.com, the top three NYT Non-fiction Bestsellers are anti-Clinton books:
#2-Hillary's America by Dinesh D'Souza who warns: "We are on the brink of losing our country forever. After eight years of Obama, four years--or possibly eight years of Hillary Clinton as President of the United States would so utterly transform America as to make it unrecognizable."

#1-Crisis of Character by former Secret Service Agent Gary J. Byrne. A runaway bestseller by the man posted directly outside the Oval Office during Bill Clinton's reign. Needless to say, he had little good to tell us about the 'up-close-and-personal' Hillary.

One needn't be on the Trump-train to be concerned about the direction this election may take. According to a recent Reuters Poll, 20% of 'born-again Christians' plan to sit this election out.

Trump's net favorability rating among evangelicals is at minus -38%. Clinton's is at -61%.

The problem? The Senate, The House and, most importantly The Supreme Court appointments. Though understandable, it seems vital to resist the temptation to vote with our feet because, while Dick Morris' characterization of a Clinton win as 'Armageddon' may be over-the-top, Dinesh D'Souza's assessment may not be.

A wise man once said: "If we forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under." --Ronald Reagan

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. And knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Proverbs 15:33

News:

• Reuters: New Poll Puts Clinton 6 Points Ahead Of Trump In Head-to-Head
• DEBKA file: Russia builds up forces in Crimea with international attention focused elsewhere; fear of invasion builds.
• FNC: Intel services suspected of "cooking the books" when it comes to terrorism; painting a rosier picture than exists.

"War on Trump?"

Washington Examiner columnist Byron York believes the GOP establishment is "panicked" over the possibility that Donald Trump might actually get the Republican presidential nomination.

"Some are preparing to do whatever it takes to bring him down," he said.

According to York:

"Insiders have watched as Trump defied what many believed were immutable laws of the political universe.

"First they thought Trump wouldn't run. Then they thought voters wouldn't take a reality-TV star seriously. Then they thought gaffes would kill Trump as they had other candidates. None of that turned out as expected."

If the Trump-card continues to play, the anti-Trump operatives will resort to drastic measures.

The most likely scenario?

All out war on the New York billionaire through "a long and withering bombardment of negative ads."

So why is Trump so popular?

He's "pummeling political insiders at their own game," said radio talk-show host, Rush Limbaugh on Tuesday.

"What he's doing is bordering on political brilliance," Limbaugh gushed. "And he is far more adept at modern-day politics than anybody in either party realizes."

Long ago, French political philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville said, "In democracy people get the leaders they deserve."

And that, dear reader, is what we are afraid of.

A wise man once said: "If America ever turns away from God, if it ever disregards the Word and ways of God, then the smiles of heaven, the blessings of God, will be removed from this land." -- George Washington

"And the LORD said to Samuel, "Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them." 1Samuel 8:7

News:

• Fox News Channel: New California Law Requires Pro-life Pregnancy Centers To Post Abortion Info; Centers sue. 
• The Hill: Trump's 100 days On Top Ends As Carson Takes Lead In Iowa
• The Washington Post: Secret Service Officers Sleep On The Job; Formal warning coming

"Economic 'Danger Ahead'"

Legendary investor (and billionaire) Carl Icahn is so concerned about the U.S. economy he decided it was necessary to go public with a warning.

In a 15-minute video, the founder and chairman of Icahn Enterprises warns there is "Danger Ahead" that will make the last economic downturn "look good".

Oh, and guess who he thinks is the best presidential candidate to fix things?

You guessed it--Donald Trump.

"I don't think the other guys understand the major problems we face," Icahn said. "I grew up on the streets of Queens (N.Y.). I never could have been this successful in any other country in the world. I hate to see it go down the tubes and that's what's sort of happening. We're losing our hegemony (influence or authority). I really believe it.

Trump has expressed interest in Icahn as head of the U.S. Treasury or even recruiting him to negotiate with China should he be elected president.

Icahn already has "a day job" and isn't available to be Trump's Treasury Secretary, he claims. However, he is open to "helping" Trump in other ways.

Seems like he already has.

A wise man once said: "I've been disappointed in politicians, very disappointed in the Democratic Party, very disappointed in the Republican Party. I think Americans across the board are fed up with the shenanigans that go on, politicians who go to Washington to benefit themselves, who promise one thing and deliver another. Americans are ready for a change." -- Franklin Graham

"Then He will appoint children to rule over them, and anarchy will prevail. People will take advantage of each other--man against man, neighbor fighting neighbor. Young people will revolt against authority and nobodies will sneer at honorable people." Isaiah 3: 4-5

News:

• The Telegraph: A Poisonous "Triad" Of Global Risks Pushing World To Brink Of Financial Crisis Says IMF.
• CNBC: Recession Buzz Heating Up On Wall Street; Slowing Growth Cited.
• Fox News Channel: Fed Unsettled By Global Economic Slowdown; Hopes To Raise Rates By Year's End.

"Is Donald the Last Trump?"

While the rest of us have been puzzling over Trump's hair, U.S. Marine Corps General Joseph Dunford has been worrying about Russia.

"Russia represents the greatest threat to our national security," claims General Dunford.

"In Russia, we have a nuclear power. We have one that not only has the capability to violate the sovereignty of our allies and to do things that are inconsistent with our national interests, but they're in the process of doing so," he cautions.

"So, if you want to talk about a nation that could pose an existential threat to the United States, I'd have to point to Russia. And if you look at their behavior, it's nothing short of alarming," warns not only the General, but many top military officials.

Meanwhile, guess who the Russian government cited as its top threats? The United States and NATO!

General Dunford is in line for the highest U.S. military post: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff--and he is sounding the alarm loud and clear: Russia poses a real threat to the United States.

The Bible also sounds an alarm when it links Russia, Iran (along with a coalition force) against Israel in the last days. (see Ezekiel 38).

Israel feels especially threatened by Iran, given the signing of the recent nuke deal and Teheran's repeated vows to destroy Israel. Add Russia to the mix, and what could go wrong?

(oh, and there really is a last trump coming, but it has nothing to do with our old pal "The Donald").

A wise man once said: "The Iran Nuke deal is worse than we could have imagined--the worst agreement in U.S. diplomatic history." -- Charles Krauthammer, columnist and Fox News analyst

"While people are saying, "There is peace and security," then suddenly destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman and they will not escape." 1 Thessalonians 5:3

News:

• The Washington Free Beacon: "Iran: Obama Admin Lying About Nuclear Deal for Domestic Consumption"; U.S. downplays Iranian victory to 'soothe' fear over deal.
• Bloomberg News: "Top French Official Contradicts Kerry on Iran Deal"; apocalyptic picture if deal is killed not true.
• Associated Press: "Iran Says Deal Will Ban U.S. Experts From U.N. Nuclear Inspections"; nor will IAEA have access to "sensitive and military documents".