All posts filed under: End times

Will a court ruling in India pave the way for rebuilding a third Jewish Temple in Jerusalem?

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Some are arguing a court case in India may set a precedent for building a third Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. The Temple Mount in Jerusalem, where the Jewish Temple stood before it was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD, now houses the Muslim Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa mosque. Jews have been demanding access to the site for decades and a group has even been created to pave the way for the eventual reconstruction of a third Jewish Temple on the location. Called the Temple Mount Project, it has already constructed much of the furniture needed for the Temple (everything except the Ark of the Covenant) and even ordered architectural drawings for a third Temple. All that is holding this back is that the Muslims control the site. However, the case in India is giving those desiring a third Jewish Temple renewed hope. The India Supreme Court recently ruled that a Mosque built in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh must be moved, because in the 1600s it was built over the site of an ancient …

Moloch set up in front of Roman Colosseum: A sign of a growing spiritual conflict?

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At the end of September, people visiting the Colosseum in Rome were greeted by one of the most hideous idols of the ancient world — Moloch. The full-sized replica of the idol was the one used in the 1914 silent movie Cabira. The idol was installed as part of an exhibit on Carthage’s history called Carthago: The immortal myth. The idol, that was set up on September 27, 2019, will be displayed at the entrance of the Colosseum until March 29, 2020. The idol was particularly hideous because its was used to sacrifice live children. Life Site News, a Catholic-based news site, reported that the setting up of the idol at the entrance to the Colosseum was particularly disturbing because in 1749 Pope Benedict the XIV declared the Colosseum a sacred site to remember the thousands of Christians that the Romans slaughtered in the Colosseum. One Catholic family visiting the Colosseum were shocked to be greeted by Moloch. Alexandra Clark told Life Site News: “We were so excited the day we decided to go to …

The battle over Chick-fil-A reaches England

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There has been an interesting development surrounding the planned forced closing of a Chick-fil-A restaurant in England. The store, that was England’s first Chick-fil-A restaurant, opened on October 10, 2019 at the Oracle Mall in Reading, England, a city of 320,000 located in Southern England. Almost immediately, it was attacked by LGBT supporters opposed to the chain’s pro traditional family stand. Owned by the Cathy family, who are Christians, the chain has also financially supported Christian organizations such as the Salvation Army. Within a week, the Oracle Mall caved to the demands of the protesters and announced that it would not be renewing the restaurant’s lease, meaning it would be forced to close in six months. Ironically, in a news release announcing the decision, the mall stated that it was doing it so it could create “an inclusive space.” However, some argue that the act of closing the restaurant suggests it is not inclusive. Despite being closed on Sunday (arguable the biggest sales day of the week), so employees can have a family day and …

Does God still speak through dreams: A warning about Turkey?

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Throughout the Bible God used dreams to communicate messages with people. The Pharaoh of Egypt received a dream warning of a coming drought, that Joseph successfully interpreted. Pontius Pilate’s wife received a dream warning her husband about his treatment of Jesus at the Lord’s trial. God used dreams in both the Old and New Testament to communicate with people, so should we be surprised that God might warn Christians today through dreams. If so maybe we need to take heed of a dream received by American Pastor Andrew Brunson while imprisoned in a Turkish prison after being accused of terrorism by the government. Andrew and his wife had served for 25 years prior as missionaries in Turkey working largely among the Kurds along the Syrian Turkish border. Brunson was eventually released from prison in October 2018 and returned to the US. Brunson received this dream in December 2016 while in prison. In an interview with Fox News, Brunson said: “In the dream, Turkey, Iran and Russia began to move together in a very dark alliance.” …

26 | Three Bible passages that might warn of a nuclear war in the end times

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One question that has lurked at the back of my mind is this: Does the Bible warn of Nuclear war in the end times? It’s not a topic that many of us want to talk about, but in my study of the Bible I have seen hints of it. In this podcast we look at three Bible passages that suggest there will be a nuclear war during the end times.

Has God’s temple been desecrated in China?

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As I read a story out of China, I wondered if I was watching end times prophecy come to pass. Now I don’t think it is the actual fulfillment, but I don’t like how close it got. In 2 Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul describes how the Antichrist will set himself up like a god, in the temple of God: 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. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 NASV There were two temples in Israel’s history. King Solomon built the first temple that was destroyed by Babylon in 586 BC. The second, built by Ezra and later renovated by King Herod, was the one that Jesus visited. It was obliterated by the Romans in 70 AD and was never rebuilt. But there are …

Does Anyone Care About Jesus Anymore?

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I am a Christian, but lately, I have noticed that no one wants to talk about that. I can talk with other Christians about our beliefs, but people who don’t believe don’t seem to care. When I just mention that I believe in Jesus, I get an awkward silence, and then the other person changes the subject, or leaves. So, does anyone out there care about Jesus anymore? Probably not many, but the question is wrong. Does anyone do anything for more than a week? You might know the name Alvin Toffler, the author who wrote a famous book “Future Shock.” The book was published about fifty years ago, which makes him a futurist from the past. He predicted that the pace of change would accelerate; change would come on us so fast we wouldn’t be able to cope with it. RELATED: Future Shock: Wikipedia  In the Bible, the mark of a successful prophet, or religious futurist, was if the predictions came true: “You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message …

Model of Herod's Temple at the Israel Museum. Photo: Berthold Werner/Wikipedia

Has the third Jewish temple already been constructed?

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In early September, Dr. Ghassan Weshah, an archaeological professor from the Islamic University of Gaza in Palestine told the media that the Biblical references to the Jewish Temple existing on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem are all a complete lie. He made these claims despite the fact the Muslim Koran refers to the temple at least twice, and even refers to King Solomon building the temple (34:13). Another Koranic verse describes the Muslims praying towards Mecca and the Jews towards their temple (Sura 2:145). However, a handful of Islamic scholars try to get around this problem by insisting that Solomon actually built a mosque, even though Islam did not appear on the scene until 1,600 years later. According to the Biblical record, Solomon built the first temple around 1000 BC and it was destroyed in 586 BC by the Babylonians who them promptly hauled thousands of Jews into captivity. Ezra constructed what is called the second Temple around 520 BC when the Persians who had defeated the Babylonians allowed the Jews to return to Jerusalem. …

All Israel will be saved?

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I recently read an article on Charisma News by Ron Cantor, a Messianic Jew living and ministering in Israel of how Jews are starting to accept Christ as their Messiah. Israel has a population of just over nine million people with nearly 75% Jewish, 17% Muslim and the remainder a mixture of Christian 2%, Druze 1.7% (Arab non-Muslims) and others. According to Cantor, there are about 200 Messianic congregations in Israel with over 20,000 people attending. These are Jews who believe Jesus is the Jewish Messiah and are in addition to non-Jewish Christians living in Israel. But the purpose of Cantor’s article was to report on a shift he believes is taking place in Israel. Cantor points out that Paul writes in Romans 11:25 that there was a “partial hardening” of the Jew’s heart, that led to a powerful move of God among the gentiles. During Paul’s ministry, there came a moment when he purposefully shifted his ministry to the gentiles. That took place at Corinth. When Paul arrived, as was his tradition, he went …

Climate Change and the Second Coming of Jesus

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Do you believe the ‘End is Nigh’? Do you think the world is about to change in a big way, and we can’t reverse the change? Do you believe that Jesus is coming back soon? These days, almost everyone who is anyone believes one of those ideas, or something similar. There is a sense everywhere that this time in history will end soon. Our little day is approaching sunset. So, who believes in climate change? Who thinks we are altering our environment, and we will have intense global warming, with severe food shortages; and the ice caps will melt and the oceans will rise and flood coastal cities? Our leaders in this are politicians and celebrities. It’s a New Age religion, Jesus is not mentioned, but the Bible has been telling us for thousands of years that the end will come, and now everyone is starting to believe. Christians have called this the ‘Second Coming’ and the New Age leaders might talk about Global Warming. Strangely, whether we are believers or deniers in Jesus, we …

Why we missed the communion service on the moon

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The British newspaper, The Guardian, recently told the story of how astronaut Buzz Aldrin had communion on the moon. On July 20, 1969, Buzz and fellow astronaut Neil Armstrong were the first people to actually stand on the moon, during their visit as part of the Apollo 11 mission. Of course many will remember Armstrong’s memorable words as the first man to step on the moon when he said: ”That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” While most people remember “one small step for man” in an article on Space, Neil said he had actually said “a man” but the “a” wasn’t heard in the broadcast that travelled 238,000 miles (ca. 383,024 km). And though his words are remembered as the most iconic moment on the Apollo 11 lunar landing, there was a less known, and in fact, if The Guardian article is right, a suppressed religious event. Buzz Aldrin was also an elder at Webster Presbyterian Church in Webster, Texas about 30 miles (ca. 48 km) outside Houston. He had …

Just What is the Temple of Satan?

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There are reports this year, of an emerging new religion “The Temple of Satan.” This group may have existed for years, but recently it has been getting attention, and apparently attracting many new members. One prominent community is in the city if Ottawa, the capital of Canada. Ottawa is usually a quiet city with tourists and politicians, and government workers. The new ‘Temple’ religion is new and different. RELATED: The Rise of the Satanic Temple in Canada: Global News One of the practices of the group is to ‘unbaptize’ people from Christianity, to undo their conversion and remove them from that religion. Christians should know that this is very different from traditional atheism and agnosticism. Those ideas have been at the center of western culture for several generations, and are usually called “liberal” and “modernist.” This modern thinking usually refers to ideas like Darwin’s theory of Evolution. Notice that Darwinian Evolution has a universe with no God, no creator. Darwin was trained to be a Christian minister, and he speculated about a universe like a …

Is an ‘end-times’ Bubonic plague coming to Los Angeles?

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Drew Pinsky is better known by his celebrity moniker, Dr Drew. He is a doctor who specializes in internal medicine and addiction, but became famous through several radio and TV shows such as Loveline, Dr. Drew on Call, and Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. Recently, he gained headlines again when he stated in an interview with Scott Adams, the creator of  the Dilbert comic strip, broadcast on Periscope, that Los Angeles (LA) was on the verge of an outbreak of the Bubonic plague. He actually used the term “apocalypse” to describe the looming crisis. The Bubonic plague devastated Europe in the 14th century killing an estimated 50 to 100 million people ,upwards of 50% of the population. The bacteria that causes the plague was spread by fleas from infected animals such as rats. There are different varieties of the plague some more deadly than others. The common symptoms for the Bubonic plague include fever, flu, vomiting and boils, that often break open as the lymph nodes swell. The plague can result in death within 10 …

What are the odds? 1 in 7,000 chance asteroid will hit earth in September, 2019

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I don’t like these odds. But the European Space Agency (ESA) is reporting that there is a one in 7,000 chance, an asteroid the size of the football field will hit earth on September 9, 2019. The ESA maintain a list of asteroids posing the greatest threat to earth, and this asteroid is fourth on ESA’s list of the most concerning asteroids. There was no mention of the odds of the top three asteroids slamming into the earth. The asteroid known as 2006 QV89, estimated to be 164 feet (49 meters) in diameter, was first discovered in August, 2006 and according to ESA’s computer model, it will pass within 4.2 million miles of earth in early September. There is of course a margin of error leading to the odds. Unfortunately, this list is only made up of the known asteroids. Though space agencies are tracking asteroids, they are not aware of all of them. The asteroid that exploded over the Russian city of Chelyabinsk in February, 2013 was a complete shock. In fact, space agencies …

Can’t buy or sell because of Conservative beliefs?

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Tucked within the Book of Revelation, a vision of the end times given the Apostle John, he saw a time coming when people would not be able buy or sell if they did not take the mark of the beast. 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. (Revelation 13:17 NASV) Though there have been books written on the mark of the beast, we still have no idea what it involves, certainly I don’t. Some suggest it will be computerized chips that are inserted in our hands, but it’s doubtful a chip would be put on our forehead which is where John says it will also appear (Revelation 13:16). I don’t believe the mark of the beast has made its appearance yet, but the idea that people will not be able to buy or sell because of a person’s beliefs is already starting to show up. It involves the story …

Credit: Hector Pierna Sanchez/Flickr/Creative Commons

Mysterious plague arrives in New York?

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According to an article in the New York Times (NYT), a new and dangerous illness has arrived on the east coast of the US.  Called Candida Aurus, it is a fungus that has been showing up in other countries such as Venezuela and Spain, but has now hit America with deadly consequences. The US Center for Disease Control (CDC) reported that there are 587 people with the infection including 309 in New York, 144 in Illinois and 104 in New Jersey. The disease is a bacteria and is considered both dangerous and mysterious. It is dangerous because there is no known cure. Antifungal medication typically used to combat this type of disease are ineffective. It is one of those superbugs that are resistant to modern drugs. Its symptoms that include fever and fatigue are particularly dangerous for  those with compromised immune systems. This can include newborns, the elderly, smokers and those with other health complications. One elderly patient who showed up at a Mount Sinai hospital in Brooklyn, New York died within 90 days. And …

Photo of the Milky Way from Argentina Credit: Luis Argerich/Flickr/Creative Commons

The silence was deafening, but not the explosion

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According to a report by BBC, around noon on December 18, 2018, a large meteor/small asteroid exploded over the Bering Strait. The Bering Strait is the body of water separating Russian and Alaska and the explosion took place closer to the Russian side near the Kamchatka Peninsula. It was first reported by the US Air Force who caught the explosion with a military satellite and passed the information on to NASA, that was given the responsibility of tracking near-Earth asteroids by the US government in 2005. However, this one had completely escaped NASA’s notice. The asteroid, that was several meters in size, was traveling at 20 miles (32kms) per second and exploded about 26 kilometers above the Bering Strait. Though it safely exploded over water, there was concern because it was near commercial airline routes. The explosion, estimated at 173 kilotons, was ten times the power of Hiroshima and was described as “historic” by Lindley Johnson who works with NASA’s planetary defense division responsible for tracking asteroids. Johnson said it was the the second largest …

Credit: Elvert Barnes/Flickr/Creative Commons

Millenial Narcissism, and Maybe Death

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Last Friday, after midnight, a loud sound woke me up. It sounded like a traffic accident, but then it happened again, and again. I realized that someone was pounding on our apartment building. I am not responsible for the building, but I put on a coat and went to the front door, around 2 a.m. I found someone trying to force their way into the building, by kicking the glass in the door to break it. I should have called the police first, but I was still waking up. I tapped on the glass and told the person to go away, but she refused and shouted at me. It dawned on me that she might be a visitor with the right to come in, so I opened the door, and she forced her way past me and ran up the stairs. I could smell alcohol on her as she passed me. I am not ever permitted to let a violent drunk into the building because of concerns for the safety of the people inside, so …

Chongqing, China Credit: Ted McGrath/Flickr/Creative Commons

Is social credit monitoring and ‘deboosting’ paving the way for something more sinister?

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No one could have believed it, but we are starting to see the unfolding of an ancient prophecy given the Apostle John who had been banished on the Mediterranean Island of Patmos somewhere around 65-85 AD. In his vision of the end times, John saw a time coming when people would unable to buy or sell if they didn’t take the mark of the beast: 16 He also caused everyone (small and great, rich and poor, free and slave) to obtain a mark on their right hand or on their forehead. 17 Thus no one was allowed to buy or sell things unless he bore the mark of the beast—that is, his name or his number. (Revelation 13:16-17 NET) Though what we see happening today is not necessarily a direct fulfillment of this prophecy, it may be paving the way for what is to eventually come. An English newspaper, The Guardian, recently reported that as part of a “social credit” system being set up by the Chinese government, it is stopping people from buying and selling. Through …

Photo of Super Wolf Blood Moon that took place of January 20, 2019 Credit: Larah McElroy/Flickr/Credit Commons

Bizarre incident that took place during recent Super Wolf Blood Moon, coincidence or warning?

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I don’t know what to make of all this, and sometimes I wonder if I am making more of it than I should. But a strange thing happened during the “Super Blood Wolf Moon” that took place  overnight on January 20 and 21, 2019. It was seen in the Western Hemisphere and parts of Europe. It is referred to as a wolf moon because it took place in the Northern Hemisphere’s winter and as a super blood moon, because it happened at the point in the moon’s trajectory when it is at its closet point to the earth, resulting in the moon being 14% larger and appearing 30% brighter. A blood moon takes place when the earth blocks the sun causing the suns rays to reflect through the earth’s atmosphere. The red appearance is similar to the red in the sunrise and sunsets we experience on earth. In the Bible, blood moons were considered warning signs of the end times. But we need to realize that blood moons are a regular occurrence and not every …

Dedza, Malawi site of the most recent river turning blood red. Credit: Brian Dell/Public Domain/Wikipedia

More blood-red rivers, a sign of the times?

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Breaking Israel News (BIN) reported on two curious incidents that occurred the end of December when two rivers turned blood-red, one in Africa and one in Indonesia. According to a report on Malawi 24, the Linthipe River near Dedza, Malawi, Africa, turned blood-red and was first noticed when the women of the town went down to the river to launder their clothes . Dedza is located just 85 km south of the country’s capital Lilonqwe. Malawi 24 quoted one woman in the village who stated: “As usual, we came to this place to wash our clothes besides drawing water for home use. But to our surprise we saw that blood like stuff was flowing in the river. This scared us and we called some people to witness the bizarre circumstances.” It is uncertain at this point what caused the river to turn blood-red on December 24, 2018 and though the river eventually returned to its normal color, according to MWnation, the rivers sudden turning caused a panic among the people in the town quoting one …

Russian supporters unveiling massive banner portraying an dangerous bear and the words "Russia Forward" prior to Euro 2008 soccer match against England Credit: Roman Kovrigin/Wikipedia

Is Russia’s first missile attack against Israel and the appearance of a Super Blood Moon a coincidence?

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When looking at the Bible’s end times prophecy one thing keeps showing up, blood moons. The prophet Joel refers to a blood moon appearing before the great and terrible day of the Lord (Joel 2:31). As well, the Book of Revelation, the Apostle John’s vision of end times events, speaks of a Blood Moon (Revelation 6:12). But Blood Moons are a regular occurrence and take place when the Sun’s light is reflected through the earth’s atmosphere during a lunar eclipse. Some describe it as the red of an earth’s sunset appearing on the moon. So because of that, Blood Moons in themselves are only significant in Biblical end times as they appear along with other events. Joel speaks of columns of smoke (Joel 2:30) that suggests volcanic activity in association with the Blood Moon and the Book of Revelation speaks of a great earthquake and the world being pummeled with either meteors or asteroids along with its Blood Moon. So when an article on Foxnews, announced there will be a rare “super blood moon” appearing …

Photo taken on May 21, 2011, the day predicted as judgement and rapture day by American Christian radio host Harold Camping. Credit: Just call me Jac/Flickr/Creative Commons

For Bad Religion, Just Add Armageddon

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In November of 2017, the police arrested some kidnappers in an industrial suburb, close to where I live. Nisku, the suburb, is a huge oilfield service area. If any place is good for a kidnapping, Nisku is not it. The place is filled with large trucks and welding shops. When the details were told, the story got stranger; the kidnappers were mostly naked, in cold weather, and they fiercely resisted the police, who tasered and pepper sprayed them. One of the kidnap victims was a tiny baby. The three kidnap victims escaped unharmed, and the kidnappers have been tried and just recently convicted. The whole story is bizarre, and it was all about religion. The kidnappers are Jehovah’s Witnesses who worked themselves into a frenzy for several days, and there might have been some hallucinogenic tea in the house. They all decided that November 6, 2017 was the day of Armageddon, and then they decided to save their neighbors from the destruction at the end of the world. They rushed to the rescue-kidnapping so quickly …

Las Vegas Credit: Mr. Jason Hayes/Flickr/Creative Commons

Vegas and Hollywood: the truth

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On the evening of October 1, 2017, a man named Stephen Paddock used a gun to kill and injure spectators at a country music concert in Las Vegas. You probably know something about the story, but have you noticed all the comments and conspiracy theories that have spun off from the incident; the story about the story? It’s interesting because Mr Paddock is such a mystery. We don’t know why he shot those people except that he made a decision. His background story gives us no clues, so we are free to make our own judgments. That’s useful for some people. RELATED: Las Vegas Shooting: Wikipedia A few days later, on October 5, the New York Times published an article about Harvey Weinstein, one of the most powerful men in the Hollywood movie industry. He has been accused of gross misconduct with young women who were trying to make careers in movies and television. At this time, it is fair to say the accusations have been denied, and any accusations are only alleged; but that …

Fire near Santee, CA during the 1980s. Credit: Rick Bolin/Flickr/Creative Commons

Apocalypse 5: The Final Occupation

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This is about the end of the book that is at the end of the Bible. It’s the last installment in a series of articles on the book of Revelation, at the end of the Bible. Revelation is a future description of the end of this age in history. Christians are supposed to read this book, but too many of us are satisfied with a few pictures like 666 (chapter 13 and verse 18) and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (chapter 6), and Armageddon, the great final battle (chapter 16 and verse 16). The pictures are interesting, but we are told to read the whole book: “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.” (1:3) We are supposed to make sense of this book, and to understand where we are in history. So, think about something that makes you angry, or someone who has that effect. Now calm down …

St Paul's Cathedral, London, England during the Great Fire attack during World War II, December 29, 1941 Credit: National Archives/New Times Paris Bureau/Public Domain

Apocalypse 4: The Atheist Wars

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I don’t believe in Santa Claus. If Santa was God, I would be an atheist. When my children were little, I took them to the mall before Christmas, where other families brought their children to see Mall Santa. Those children had fun, and got coloring books and candy canes, all for free. So where were my children? In the line up with everyone else. With my Scottish name, it must be clear that I love not spending money, and free anything is attractive to me. I don’t believe in Santa Claus, and I told my children that he was not real, but fake Santa sure was fun. And my wallet stayed safe in my pocket. I have met one atheist who truly did not believe in God. I am a Christian and he was a friend of mine. I never saw him in church, but he probably would not object to a visit. He was an atheist, not a hater. Have you noticed that most people who call themselves atheists are angry at God? They …

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Apocalypse 3: The Eco-Apocalypse

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Doomsday cults, and doomsday predictors are everywhere. Some are Christian, but the end of the world is a big thing in most religions. The tradition in Islam is that Jesus will return and rule the world, and the teachings of the Mormons, Seventh Day Adventists, and the Jehovah’s Witnesses are built around preparing for the end. Secular scientists have a Doomsday Clock, and climate change activists have their warnings about the end and our extinction. RELATED: The Doomsday Clock It seems like we all believe, and that makes us targets for cult groups that can manipulate us and ruin our lives. One group from Korea recently moved to Fiji to escape the coming apocalypse and the leaders are accused of abusing their followers. RELATED: ‘I lost my entire family to a cult’: How one woman escaped Grace Road: BBC Note that the Korean group, like most doomsdayers, are concerned about en eco-apocalypse. They were hiding in Fiji, from a coming famine. I have a serious warning for you: we all believe and we are all …

Beijing, China Credit: Oneris Daniel Rico Garcia/Flickr/Creative Commons

Is China’s ‘social credit’ system setting the stage for the antichrist?

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Some experts are warning that other left-leaning governments may soon be tempted to carry out the Chinese government’s “Social Credit” system that came into full effect on May 1, 2018. The plan introduced by Chinese President Jinping will monitor and control those who don’t agree with China’s communistic policies. People will be issued a score based on their political, social and economic activities and this score will affect their ability to do things in China. Some suspect it is simply expanding a “Social Credit” system already developed by a major government-owned online Chinese retailer Alibaba. Alibaba’s financial division, Ant Financial, developed a social credit system called Sesame Credit. While many western businesses have a point system rewarding people based on how much they buy, Sesame Credit includes a strong social aspect in its system where people receive a rating between 350 and 950. The higher the score the better. The benefits of a high Sesame score include having government visa’s fast tracked, renting vehicles without a deposit. People with high Sesame ratings will even receive …

Desert in Qatar Credit: Sam Agnew/Flickr/Creative Commons

Apocalypse 2: Really, It’s their Fault

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Have you ever thought about the future of war? The experts predict future combat that will be much worse than anything we have seen before. RELATED: Future war will result in destruction ‘beyond our comprehension’, says US General The Bible has been saying the same thing for thousands of years. Human beings have always been good at self destruction. We think we will succeed by conquering and stealing from the neighbors, and we always bring down destruction, in the end. The Christian Bible ends with the book of Revelation. Most people know about images from the book, but most people do not know the book. For example, if I mentioned the Antichrist, or the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, people everywhere would have some cultural knowledge, but it’s hard to find even a committed Christian who has read the whole book. Let’s change that. Revelation is one narrative, a story that progresses from a beginning to an end, and it is useful for us to read the whole big picture. Those images that we all …

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‘USA Today,’ the Apostle John and the Canadian government provide ominous warnings of the future

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In the Book of Revelation, the Apostle John recorded a vision of the future that God gave him. It wasn’t just any future, it is what lay ahead for believers and the world in the end times leading to second coming of Christ. One of the verses that has caught the attentions of many people who study end times events are John’s references to the mark of the beast that would prevent people from buying and selling: 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. (Revelation 13:16-17 NASV) Remember this is a vision that John had of society in the future and he was just recording what he saw. He saw people with a mark …

Storm near Garden City, Kansas, US Credit: Dave Sills/Flickr/Creative Commons

Apocalypse 1: The Boring Part

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Is it possible for people call themselves Christians to fail? Can we be wrong? That’s not a serious question, and the answer is yes. The famous Pentecostal television preacher Jim Bakker went to prison. RELATED: Jim Bakker And the Roman Catholic Church is trying to recover from the scandal of sex abuse by priests. RELATED: Child sexual abuse and the Catholic Church: What you need to know Sometimes we fail, and our failure has two sides; if we do something wrong, we are prevented from doing good things. Damage control to recover from our failures doesn’t leave room for all the good that we should be doing in this world. I think that is a good starting point to understand the Apocalypse. Everyone should read the book of Revelation. In the Christian Bible, it’s the last book, and one that we often talk about. What we seldom do is read the whole book. For me, that is the best starting point to understand the last book in the Bible. “Revelation” gives us images like the …

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (L to R): Death, Famine, War and Conquest. by Victor Mikhailovich Vasnetsox (1848-1926) Credit: Wikipedia/Creative Commons/{{PD-US}}

Yemen and the First Horseman of the Apocalypse

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Did you know that the world has a huge war right now, involving millions of people? The best estimate is that twenty-two million people are directly affected by the war, and two million children are at risk from severe malnutrition. There is a real danger that the war could expand in the region, and there are reports of long-range missiles landing in wealthy countries in the Persian Gulf. RELATED: Yemeni Civil War I live far away from this civil war in Yemen, and the both sides are Arab Muslims, so I can’t criticize one faction or take sides. I know that the suffering is terrible and the UN sees no end in sight. Apparently no one is winning this “Vietnam War” of the Middle East. Did you know this war was happening? Many people in the world know nothing about it. The fighting started in March of 2015 and soon after that foreign powers intervened, or invaded. Saudi Arabia and Iran are powerful nations in the region and they are on opposite sides, with the …

A photo of STEVE (left), taken on September 28, 2016 in Caithness, Scotland Credit: Gordon Mackie/Flickr/Creative Commons

Is ‘STEVE’ a sign of the times?

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According to a study by the American Geophysical Union (AGU) ribbons of purple and white light shooting up into the night sky that made its appearance a few decades back is not an aurora. Amateur photographers who started taking pictures of the phenomena named it STEVE and it seems to have stuck. These bands of purple and white lights piercing into the night sky were originally thought to be an aurora. However a research team led by a Canadian Physicist Bea Gallardo-Lacourt from the University of Calgary in Canada concluded that they are not. But, they are not exactly sure what causes them. The research group came to this conclusion after studying a STEVE that appeared in Ontario, Canada on March 28, 2008. In addition to analyzing the phenomena using ground cameras already in place to photograph auroras, they also used data from a satellite, POES-17, that found no charged particles associated with this particular STEVE. The lights associated with auroras, also called the Northern Lights, are caused when the sun spews out charged protons …