Discerning the Times

Two more signs or birth pains. The Indonesian volcano on the island of Sumatra erupted again yesterday. This week the volcano came to life again erupting after 400 years. This eruption was a 13 minute one.

The second sign was a major 7.1 on the scale earthquake in New Zealand that hit very near to that country’s second largest city, Christchurch. There was extensive damage, people trapped inside demolished buildings but no reports of casualties to this point. The quake hit at 2PM EST yesterday. More aftershocks are expected. There was again substantial infrastructure damage.

Keep looking up!

A volcano in western Indonesia spewed hot lava into the sky on Sunday in its first eruption in over 400 years.

They just keep coming.

Keep looking up!

Jesus tells us that prior to His return to earth there would be the following signs and they would all happen at the same time and like the birth pains a mother goes through giving to birth these pains or contractions would increase in both frequency and severity. We find this relayed to us in Matthew 24, Luke 21 and Mark 13.

And even today like what Peter tells us in 2 Peter 2:3-4 that in the last days there would be scoffers who would mick the truth of the return of Christ and who would want to follow after their own selfish desires. They even will claim that things are as they have always been since the dawn of time.

This is the attitude of believers and non believers. We are told on more than one occasion in Scripture to be alert, to know what is going on around us and to look for His coming.

The implications of all this for today is that the scoffers are everywhere. Both in the Church and outside the Church.

So let us look at some of the signs to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are that generation spoken of by Jesus.

1. The Holocaust and the Re-Emergence of Israel as a Nation 

One of the most important signs is the re-emergence of Israel as a nation. As a matter of fact everything else is meaningless in light of prophecy for the last days without Israel becoming a nation again. This re-emergence was foretold by Isaiah and Ezekiel. Specifically Ezekiel 37:11-13 show Israel becoming a nation in the last days and in Isaiah 66 we are told can Israel become a nation in one day. Guess what it happened on May 14, 1948. After 2,000 years God had brought His people home. This is the clearest and most unmistakable sign in that we are living in the last days.

2. Jerusalem is a Burden to the World

This sign is another shocking one to the system. Jerusalem was all but ignored on the world scene for 2,000 years until 1917 and especially ion 1967 when Israel recaptured the eastern half of the city in the Six Day war. The prophet Zechariah foretold this in chapter 12, verses 2-3. This is now a political and diplomatic hot potato as the world tries to make peace in the Middle East out of a 4,000 year old blood feud. Jerusalem is now a burdensome stone for the whole world. Again is this how it has always been? The answer is no!

3. Dramatic Increase in Travel and Knowledge

In Daniel 1:4 the prophet is told that the last days would be known by a dramatic increase in travel and knowledge. Has this always been the case? Again the answer is a big fat NO! Up until the the early 1900s horse and buggy travel was the method of transportation for the whole world. Withinventions of the air plane and automobile and steam boat things changed and quickly. Now people can travel all over the US, all over the world and even into space. We can travel 100 miles below the ocean surface. It is unbelievable what has happened. In regard to knowledge, with the invention of computers, the Internet etc. things are exploding in this space every 2 to 4 months now. Just look at all the change in science, technology etc.

Are you still not convinced? Then let me add even more information for you to digest:

4. Increase in world population 

This is told by Christ in Matthew 24:3-8. This also means not only that there would be way more people on the face of the earth. For example during Jesus time there was perhaps 200 million people, now there is almost 7 billion. But Jesus was also talking about an increase in the frequency and severity of the birth pains as His return was near.

5. Wars

This is an easy one to prove. Just look at the following data:

15th century – 29 wars

16th century – 59 wars

17th century 75 wars

18th century - 69 wars

19th century – 294 wars

20th century – 278 wars

21st century – 55 wars to date and over 550 wars predicted for the 100 year period.

So not only the numbers have increased but the severity of the wars has increased as man’s ability to destroy each other has increased with planes, ships, tanks and even nuclear weapons.

Easy to see this one.

6. Famines 

Again this one is easy to prove also. Look at the data:

15th century – 6 famines

16th century – 10 famines

17th century – 24 famines

18th century – 28 famines

19th century – 30 famines

20th century – 44 famines

21st century – 12 famines to date and 120 famines projected over the 100 year period

In terms of severity just form the shear number of people on the earth now obviously the severity is greater as more people are impacted.

7. Earthquakes

Again a no brainer to see we are the last generation. Look at the data:

Earthquakes of 7.0 magnitude or greater:

15th century – 2 earthquakes

16th century – 3 earthquakes

17th century – 7 earthquakes

18th century – 13 eathquakes

19th century – 29 earthquakes

20th century – 123 earthquakes

21st century – shocking 144 earthquakes to date and over 1,440 projected over the 100 year period.

Hello people, really! Jesus is coming whether you like it or not and soon.

I mean really soon! As a watchman on the wall for Christ it is time to get ready!

Keep looking up! The footsteps in are in my ears now!

The US economy is officially in a depression according to some of the leading economists in America and the UK. What is to come is going to be even scarier!

Thank you Jesus for loving us in the times ahead. Thank you for always being there. We will need to trust you and have faith in you in the days ahead!

What is to come is as follows: massive debt default, the economic failure of entire nations and possible widespread starvation in the western world.

The leading economists saying this are a who’s who in that field. People like David Rosenberg, Arthur Laffer and Nobel winner Paul Krugman. They all predict that the coming decade is going to be even worse economically than the last one.

The recent data is driving these predictions as the expected and foretold economic summer of recovery by the President is turning out to be anything but as housing numbers from July 2010 indicate a 27% collapse compared to July 2009.

Economists are predicting we need tax reform in order to start any recovery. They are predicting we may see unemployment figures climb to 25% and rather quickly.

They are predicting a very big fall for early 2011 that will drive tens of millions of people caught in it. We are now in it official G#: Great Depression 3.

From a Scriptural perspective this has been foretold by both Jesus in Matthew 24, Luke 21 and Mark 13 as part of the birthpains of His return and also during the Great Tribulation in the book of Revelation. We should not be shocked as we are definitely the last generation. We will see the return of Jesus as King! If you are a true believer then let not your heart be troubled by the things that will take place on the earth as you are a citizen of heaven and are not destined for the wrath of God. This is the blessed hope that Christ and Paul tell us in the Scriptures.

We will see some bad times ahead even before the Rapture so stay focused on Christ.

Keep looking up!

While all these things here in this world, here in this life time continue to swirl around us we need to remember one thing, who is in charge ultimately!

The US economy is definitely in a tailspin and out of control. In the next few months we are going to hear the “depression” word and also are going to see food prices rise tremendously. There will actually be food shortages as well.

As the birth pains announcing the return of the King increase in intensity and frequency, we need to always be about the Lord’s work. We also however need to remember it is not the work that will get us to heaven , but it is our relationship with Him that needs to continue to grow, be the cherished thing in our lives and the thing we work on the most.

This generation has never had to face adversity before. Are we ready to start truly beleiving like we need to! To truly trust in Him as things go to pieces all around us?

We must stand up and be counted as followers of the King and that King is Christ the Lord!

Keep looking up!

Matthew 24:37 tells us that Jesus says His coming will be like the days of Noah. So things on this earth will be like they were before the flood.

Well today we have people in the world disregarding deliberately the God of the universe and His ways. Wickedness and evil are prevailing on the earth also.

It has been around 1,977 years since man was first given the choice to be re-created by events at the Cr0ss. But most of the world has declined the invitation.

Every thought of man is continually evil and their heart is after the things of this world. God will not tolerate this for much longer. Just like the coming of the flood when God gave man 120 years to repent, He is giving man one last chance to get it right.

Will we see everything that happened prior to the flood? Are the Nephilim, offspring of fallen angels and women, getting to reemerge?

 I do not know all the answers but things are definitely coming to a head and soon.

If you follow the Genesis story closely and read chapter 5 we can see a picture of the Church in Enoch as he is “raptured” out of harms way prior to the flood. So too, the church will be protected from the wrath of God that is coming on the earth in the form of the Tribulation Period.

In Genesis 6:3 we see God warning of the removal of His Spirit from the earth before the coming flood. We also know from 2 Thess. 2:7 that the Antichrist can not be revealed until God removes His Spirit in the form of the removal of the church.

In Genesis chapter 7 we then see the judgment actually taking place. This is a picture of what is about to come on the earth!

Pray for your loved ones and friends. Be about His work for the time is really short!

Keep looking up!

Just an interesting piece of information that has recently come my way. In a recent poll taken by PEW during the month of August, but before the recent NYC mosque controversy, more and more people in America are convinced that our President was not born in America and is in fact a Muslim. This is based on no birth certificate and also it is based on his favorable leanings towards Islam recently.

Well here is the interesting piece of information that has come my way. A Hadith prophecy sacred to Shiite Islam from the 17th century contains this prophecy from Aliibn Abi-Talib which predicts that just before the return of the Mahdi (the end-times redeemer of Islam), a tall black man will assume the reins of government in the West. This leader will command the strongest army on earthand will bear a clear sign from the third imam, Hussein. The prophecy concludes that Shiites should have no doubt that he is with us.

Is President Obama this promised warrior who comes to help the savior of Shiite Muslims conquer the world? Our President’s first two names – Barack Hussein- mean “the blessing of Hussein” in Arabic and Persian. While Obama in Persian means “he is with us”.

This could also explain the President’s meteoric rise out of no where as well. And the eerie way he mislead people into voting for them. People actually called the President a “Light-bringer”.

This is an interesting prophecy that we may in fact have witnessed.

Keep looking up!

A new oil finding this time inland of 1.5 billion barrels of the black gold in central Israel is sending shock waves around the world. The Rosh Ha Ayin discovery has raised hopes in Israel.

This new estimate along with the gas and oil findings off the Mediterranean coast raise the likelihood that Israel will be self sufficient for energy for the next three decades and even become an exporter of gas.

Development is also continuing at the Rosh Ha Ayin site as well as near the Dead Sea. This will only strengthen an Israeli economy that is growing at 4.5 %.

So here is yet another reason why Israel will be attacked in the latter days as described in Ezekiel 38 and 39 for its great economic and natural reasons.

We are seeing prophecy come alive in our life time.

I can already hear the footsteps of the Messiah!

This will be a year of weather that will be talked about for a long time. All over the earth, millions of people are wondering what in the world is causing all the crazy weather.

While there always seems to be some crazy weather, this crazy weather has no explanation of where it comes from and where we may see it go for the rest of 2010.

The greatest heatwave on record in Russia has sparked massive wildfires all across Russia. Monumental rainfalls have caused horrific floods in Pakistan and China.

As I am writing this entry, tens of thousands of people are pouring out of the city of Moscow in Russia in an attempt to escape the worst heat in over 1,000 years. The heat has in turn sparked wildfires. In fact the Russian army has actually been called in to battle the wildfires.

The heatwave has taken 15,000 lives and cost the Russian economy $15 billion. The heatwave has also taken a toll on wheat production and crops so much so that the Russian government is banning all wheat exports for the rest of 2010.

Hundreds of temperature records are being set all over the United States and Europe and even Japan. In other parts of the world too much rain is the problem. The United Kingdom has experienced the most rain in the month of July ever. Flooding in Europe is a huge problem as rivers are overflowing in Poland, Germany and Czech Republic. Same thing in the US especially in Iowa.

Over 1,100 people have died in China as a result of the flooding in the western provinces. But nothing in the way of flooding tops what is happening in Pakistan. 1,600 people have been killed as a result of the flooding and 2 million have been left homeless. The UN has already rated the Pakistan flooding the worst natural disaster on record.

World wheat prices are soaring and stockpiles are projected to fall to two year low as demand rsises and production falls. Prices will start to rise in supermarkets even here in the US.

We are in the birth pains folks. Jesus is coming soon. I can hear the footsteps of the Messiah right around the corner!

Please look at the attached:

This is an exhaustive list of earthquakes for 2010 with a magnitude of 6.0 or greater:

Earthquakes:

• Magnitude 7.2 MARIANA ISLANDS REGION August 13, 2010
• Magnitude 7.1 ECUADOR August 12, 2010
• Magnitude 7.3 VANUATU August 10, 2010
• Magnitude 7.0 NEW BRITAIN REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA August 04, 2010
• Magnitude 6.5 MORO GULF, MINDANAO, PHILIPPINES July 24, 2010
• Magnitude 7.4 MORO GULF, MINDANAO, PHILIPPINES July 23, 2010
• Magnitude 7.6 MORO GULF, MINDANAO, PHILIPPINES July 23, 2010
• Magnitude 7.3 MORO GULF, MINDANAO, PHILIPPINES July 23, 2010
• Magnitude 7.3 NEW BRITAIN REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA July 18, 2010
• Magnitude 6.9 NEW BRITAIN REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA July 18, 2010
• Magnitude 6.6 FOX ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA July 18, 2010
• Magnitude 6.5 BIO-BIO, CHILE July 14, 2010
• Magnitude 6.2 OAXACA, MEXICO June 30, 2010
• Magnitude 6.7 SOLOMON ISLANDS June 26, 2010
• Magnitude 7.0 NEAR THE NORTH COAST OF PAPUA, INDONESIA June 16, 2010
• Magnitude 7.5 NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION June 12, 2010
• Magnitude 7.1 VANUATU May 27, 2010
• Magnitude 7.2 NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA May 09, 2010
• Magnitude 6.5 SOUTHEAST OF TAIWAN April 26, 2010
• Magnitude 6.9 SOUTHERN QINGHAI, CHINA April 13, 2010
• Magnitude 6.3 SPAIN April 11, 2010
• Magnitude 6.8 SOLOMON ISLANDS April 11, 2010
• Magnitude 7.8 NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA April 06, 2010
• Magnitude 7.2 BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO April 04, 2010
• Magnitude 6.7 OFFSHORE BIO-BIO, CHILE March 16, 2010
• Magnitude 6.5 NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN March 14, 2010
• Magnitude 6.1 EASTERN TURKEY March 08, 2010
• Magnitude 6.8 SOUTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA March 05, 2010
• Magnitude 6.6 OFFSHORE BIO-BIO, CHILE March 05, 2010
• Magnitude 8.8 OFFSHORE MAULE, CHILE February 27, 2010
• Magnitude 7.0 RYUKYU ISLANDS, JAPAN February 26, 2010
• Magnitude 6.9 CHINA-RUSSIA-NORTH KOREA BORDER REGION February 18, 2010
• Magnitude 6.2 BOUGAINVILLE REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA February 01, 2010
• Magnitude 7.0 HAITI REGION January 12, 2010
• Magnitude 6.5 OFFSHORE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA January 10, 2010
• Magnitude 6.8 SOLOMON ISLANDS January 05, 2010
• Magnitude 7.1 SOLOMON ISLANDS January 03, 2010
• Magnitude 6.6 SOLOMON ISLANDS January 03, 2010

The earth is groaning for its Maker. We are in the birth pains of the Lord’s return again found in Matthew 24, Luke 21, Mark 13.

Keep looking up!