Is The Legalization Of Weed In The United States A Sign Of The End Times?

First it was Washington then Colorado, the next states to legalize pot will probably be California then New York. Uruguay became the first country on Earth to legalize the trafficking of marijuana. So it is a legitimate question, "Is the legalization of weed in the United States a sign of the end times?".

The short and sweet answer to that question is YES. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIAD) has a great fact page on this dangerous drug. Yeah, I know, I called it dangerous. The NIAD says it's dangerous and that approximately one out of every 10 people who try smoking pot will become addicted. That statistic is nearly identical to alcohol first use and addiction. There I go again, swimming against the common perceptions of our bankrupt culture. I will say it again, weed is addictive and it's dangerous.

Weed directly effects receptors in the brain that have to do with learning and memory. Regular users are less satisfied with life and much more likely to under perform in their jobs and relationships. You can argue all you want but the studies have been ongoing for decades.

If you want the facts on pot and it's destructive effect on human lives then check out this amazing site by clicking here.

Let me get back to the title of this article. Is there a connection between legalization of pot in America and the last days? I feel confident in saying YES. The book of Revelation is the unveiling of Jesus Christ and the signs that will accompany His judgments on this Earth and His literal arrival on the planet. Here is a description of men and their evil behavior in the last days.

Revelation 9:21 King James Version
 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.

The word sorceries is a word that  is derived from the Greek - Pharmakia. This word means the misuse and abuse of drugs. If you doubt that meaning then check out the same verse in another translation.

Revelation 9:21 Contemporary English Bible
They didn’t turn away from their murders, their spells and drugs, their sexual immorality, or their stealing.

The Bible wants us to know that in the last days men will be unwilling to "turn away" from drugs. Our culture not only is unwilling to turn away from weed but we are now legalizing and therefore encouraging it's use! 

Of course, there are a myriad of other signs that indicate the Creator of the Universe will soon make His appearance but make no mistake about it, pot legalization is one of them.

So what does this all mean? It means that we need to prepare for the judgment and the life beyond this world. The only way that you can successfully do that is to believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. Watch the short video in the right side bar for an excellent instructional guide on just what that means.

Phil Robertson Sermons: A Duck Disaster!

Author Zoe Marriott once said, "People trust their eyes above all else - but most people see what they wish to see, or what they believe they should see; not what is really there”. This statement is very applicable to the public perception of Duck Dynasty's cast of characters. Phil Robertson is one of the main characters of the wildly popular reality series. Phil, his brother Si and the rest of the clan are clearly religous and if you want to go over to YouTube you can check out a Phil Robertson sermon but it's hard to tell what is "really there".
Most people who love the redneck episodes see what they wish to see when it comes to the Duck Dynasty religious overtones and they fail to see what is "really there".
The Robertson's are members of the Whites Ferry Road Church of Christ located in Monroe, Louisiana.  I am not going to spend a lot of time in this article pointing out what Church of Christ churches teach. I do recommend that you check out the following article to give you all that you need to know about this dangerous sect.

>>>Dangers of the Church of Christ <<<

What is "really there" in the Church of Christ is another gospel which teaches that faith plus baptism will get you to heaven. Make no mistake about it, the Church of Christ teaches that baptism is essential for salvation. 

The Whites Ferry Road Church of Christ is pretty sly about their true beliefs. They don't have a typical "statement of faith" link or a "what we believe" link that spells out their destructive doctrines. No, if you want to find out the truth about their teachings you will have to dig a little on their site. I did a little digging and under the tab entitled "Ministries" you will discover a drop down menu which includes a link to a ministry called "We Care". Here is the >>link<< to that page. You will find a video on that page by the director of We Care, Larry West. Listen to the video and you find that Larryand this church clearly teach that baptism is essential to salvation. The same page has a power point presentation. If you view the images of the presentation you will see beyond a doubt their baptismal regeneration teachings. 

Whites Ferry Church is like a lot of the bigger and more liberal Churches of Christ who are hiding the reality of their aberrant teachings until they get you "in the door". A lot of people don't realize that popular author Max Lucado is a Church of Christ pastor for the very same reason.

You might be wondering why I have chosen this subject for this article. Why shouldn't I just be happy that some good ol' boys are providing some good clean entertainment on television? Why be so judgmental? Why not go along to get along? Why not promote unity at the expense of doctrinal purity?

I will tell you why, it's because I love the gospel and I love grace! Adding anything to faith in a gospel message is preaching another gospel which according to the Apostle Paul is not a gospel at all! I wrote about this subject because intellectually lazy Americans who happen to listen to Phil Robertson sermons and actually believe his half truths could end up in eternal Hell. I think those are pretty good reasons to defend the true gospel and refute false teachers like Phil and Si Robertson.

I won't get any pats on the head for this article. I grew up in Southern Baptist churches and pastored four of them and I won't get accolades from SBC leaders for this piece either. They have added "turning from sin"  to faith in the work of Christ as a requirement for salvation and have their own issues to deal with. In fact, Phil Robertson is being invited into SBC churches to speak behind their pulpits. The most notable example of this was Rick Warren's Saddleback Community Church. It's not hard to prove, just do a search on YouTube, the shameful truth is there to watch. You see, once you start messing with the crystal clear and beautifully simple gospel message you will start to believe anything!

Duck Dynasty merchandise is everywhere. I had a work mate give me a Duck Dynasty chocolate bar today. I was recently in a Christian book store in Kansas City and the shelves were full of Duck Dynasty and Duck Commander stuff. The popularity of these characters is amazing and sadly many will watch their sermons and accept the tainted merchandise of another false message. 

When the jailer in Acts 16:30 asked "What must I do to be saved?" Paul and Silas didn't say be baptized. They said Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Americans are desperate for entertainment but they are not desperate for the truth. The truth is that Jesus died, He was buried and He rose again to be the full payment for your sins. All that the New Testament asks you to do is to believe that His work on the cross and His resurrection will save you from your sins. Just believe, that's all. Religious people hate that message. Their pride will not accept that there is nothing you can do to avail yourself to God and gain forgiveness except BELIEVE. 

Watch the little video in the right side bar of this site. Dr. Ralph Arnold gives the good news clearly and accurately. Believe on the Lord Jesus without delay.

Pastor J.D. Farag With An Amazing Prophecy Update!

Pastor J.D. Farag pastors Calvary Chapel in Kaneohe Hawaii. Every Sunday they conclude their service with a prophecy update. He examines the events in the news and lines them up according to Bible prophecy. This update from Sunday, November 24, will bless your soul! People, Jesus is coming, you need to get ready. Watch the little video in the right side bar if you have never believed on Christ as Savior. Time is running out. Enjoy and learn.

U.S. Debt Is A Runaway Train - On Christ The Solid Rock I Stand All Other Ground Is Sinking Sand!

Fukushima, Mass Animal Deaths And Getting Ready For The Last Days

Here is a video that I made today. I discuss the ongoing mass animal deaths and the continuing Fukushima fiasco.



 TEPCO began a very risky removal of several thousand fuel rods from a damaged cooling pool. If they make a mistake they could dump the equivalent of 14,000 Hiroshimas into the atmosphere. Never mind that hundreds of thousands of gallons of radioactive water is leaking into the Pacific ocean everyday.
Events are happening every day that can only be described as "epic". Now is the time to trust Jesus as your Savior!

When Is The Zombie Apocalypse Coming?

I live in the town of Lawrence, Kansas, and every year they have a zombie walk. Each year the participation gets larger and larger, there were well over 2000 in this years event. It's surprising how much attention this zombie phenomenon has garnered globally in the last few years. Many people are asking "when is the zombie apocalypse coming?".

I believe the zombie infatuation is just the world's way of making fun of the the Biblical stories of the resurrection and the rapture of the church. Notice the language in I Thessalonians 4...

¹⁶ For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. ¹⁷ Then we who are alive, who are left, will be suddenly caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord.

Strange events are in our future! Strange events happened at the resurrection of Jesus Christ too. Matthew 27:52 records what happened at the cemetery in Jerusalem when Jesus Christ was raised from the dead.

And tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had died were raised.  

I have found an excellent video that deals with the zombie apocalypse and the Bible. I encourage you to watch it. If you have never placed your faith in Jesus as Savior then I encourage you to watch the short video in the right side bar. Thanks for watching and please share this post!

 

The World Reserve Currency Crisis And Your Soul

After reading the title of this post you might be wondering what a world reserve currency crisis has to do with your soul. I will try to explain.

We are entering into a period of time when the dollar's status as the world reserve currency is being challenged. China is accelerating a push internationally to replace the dollar as the reserve currency and to replace the dollar with the Chinese yuan. After watching the U.S. go through another dramatic congressional standoff over debt the Chinese and the Japanese now view the American economic system as "unreliable". China fears that their heavy investment in U.S. debt (1.28 trillion dollars) has made their own economic outlook precarious. Consequently, China is buying up tangible assets in the U.S. in case there is a total

collapse.

The accusation that the U.S. is unreliable is not unfounded. Congress simply continues to kick the debt can down the road. In fact, the fed broke their one day debt record just this past Thursday when they borrowed 328 billion dollars!

All indications are that the world is racing toward financial judgement day and a world wide financial reset. I feel pretty confident in saying that we are headed toward some kind of one world financial system. Of course, the Bible predicted these events over 2000 years ago (read Revelation, chapter 13). What does this mean for your soul? Everything!

If my interpretation ( and many other Bible scholars) is correct we could be on the verge of the judgements found in the Word of God that will lead up to the Second Coming of Christ. At the coming of Christ all men will stand before him for a personal judgement and either punishment or reward.

The only folks who will be able to stand before God are those people who have experienced the forgiveness of sins  received by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Those who have become convinced that Jesus paid the penalty for their sins will be the happy minority who enter into the blessed life of Heaven. Those who have not believed on Christ will suffer eternal judgement.

So you can see that a failure to see the hand of God in the coming apocalyptic times could be a very grave oversight concerning your eternal destiny. The signs are all around us that something big is coming. Now is the time to believe on Jesus. 

3 Reasons Why Christians Lack Assurance Of Salvation!

One cannot visit with Christians today and not be very aware that many of them lack assurance of their salvation. The question we should be asking is "why"?

If you were to ask most believers "Have you come to the place in your spiritual life where you know for certain you would go to heaven if you died today?" you would get many types of responses. The question is not difficult and neither should the answer be difficult. Yet, for many the answer is not cut and dry.

Many will say that they "hope so". A lot of them will come back with "I don't know". Sadly, some will say " I don't think anyone can know for sure".  Thankfully, a  few will say with resounding clarity "yes". What is the problem? Where has the church gone wrong in producing so few that are certain of their eternal destiny?

Let me offer three reasons why assurance of salvation is such a rare commodity for so many folks.

Reason #1 - There is a failure to recall an exact moment in time when you first believed. So much emphasis is placed on saying a prayer, walking an aisle, raising a hand, turning in a decision card, etc., that if you can't recall a date people will doubt your conversion. However, it is not some external act or ritual that saves it is belief in Christ as Savior and sometimes it is tough to pinpoint the exact moment that this belief occurs. If you can truly say now that you are trusting Christ as your only hope of forgiveness and all that goes with it then you should not stress out over when it happened.

Reason #2 - Doubt as to whether or not you used the right procedure. I didn't walk down an aisle, I didn't make my decision in a church, I didn't say a sinner's prayer, maybe I didn't say the right prayer etc. Doubts like these exist because we have literally added requirements to what the Bible actually says when it comes to salvation. Remember the Philippian jailer? What must I do to be saved? Well Paul didn't get out his Four Spiritual Laws and lead him in a sinner's prayer. He didn't tell the jailer to wait until Sunday and come forward during the invitation at church. No, Paul just asked the jailer to believe on Jesus. The many additions to the gospel have created more doubt traps for sincere believers. When we simply ask folks to respond in faith then we avoid the confusion that comes about because of our gospel "additions".

Reason #3 - Folks lack assurance because of sin that still persists or re-appears in their lives. It's unfortunate that this reason robs so many people of assurance. I would blame two false notions for this unfortunate outcome.

 First, many in the church today teach that once a person is saved they have just one nature (a new creation) that is fully in tune with the will of God all the time. This teaching is patently false. Believer's possess two natures and they are at war with one another. One need only read the seventh chapter of Romans to see how the Apostle Paul struggled with this reality. Christians sin and to deny that they will sin is not Biblical, see I John 1:8. False teachers who use 2 Corinthians 5:17 as their proof text for Christian perfection are taking the verse out of context. This chapter talks about our new position in Christ not a perfected lifestyle. We will not escape the presence of sin in our lives until we die or are raptured!

 Second, is the modern error of Lordship Salvation which basically states that to be a Christian you live in a constant state of having Christ as the Lord of all areas of your life and are repenting of all sin. The trouble with this position is that it too is not found in the Bible. The Christian life is a journey that has it's ups and downs. Christians do fall into sin and sometimes it is a grievous sin and sometimes it lasts a long time. Samson, Lot, David, Peter and a host of other Bible characters can attest to this truth! Lordship Salvation is a lie from the pit of hell that says turning from sin (or being willing to turn from all sin) in addition to faith are requirements to be saved. This teaching is a mix of works and grace. It is a failure to make the Law/Grace distinction and to "rightly divide" the Word of Truth. The only requirement for salvation in the New Testament is belief or faith and it's mentioned nearly 200 times. Turning from sin is a daily battle for a Christian in his quest to be practically sanctified in his walk with the Lord. False teachings that tell you that sin is evidence that you are not saved are part of the Devil's arsenal but are not part of God's truth as contained in his Word.

The only true and objective proof of our salvation and its accompanying "assurance" is found in the Word of God. I John 5:11-13 says...
 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know  
 that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

John 5:24 says...
 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

If you have believed on Jesus as the guarantor of eternal life then you have Jesus and you have eternal life. Take God at His word and stop doubting His promises. Rest in that Blessed Assurance.

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Michele Bachmann Quotes Concerning The End Times

Michele Bachmann has been one of the most maligned political figures in history as far as I'm concerned. I believe the reason that main stream media despises her is  because she is a believer in Jesus Christ, pro-life, pro-gun and pro-America.

If you were to type in "Michele Bachmann quotes" in a Google search box the first page would describe her quotes in the following way....controversial, worst ever, crazy, idiotic, strange and bizarre.

I believe just the opposite about Michele's quotes and her life. I believe she is an attractive, educated, principled leader who would have made a far better President than the one who currently occupies the oval office.

Her latest quotes concerning the days we are living in also indicate that she is discerning. Discernment is something that is so rare in our culture that it might seem strange and bizarre to the run of the mill pagan.

Here is the statement that Michele made on October 7, 2013 as recorded by The Atlantic Wire...

"[the U.S.'s funding of al Qaeda in Syria] happened and as of today the United States is willingly, knowingly, intentionally sending arms to terrorists, now what this says to me, I’m a believer in Jesus Christ, as I look at the End Times scripture, this says to me that the leaf is on the fig tree and we are to understand the signs of the times, which is your ministry, we are to understand where we are in God’s end times history. Rather than seeing this as a negative, we need to rejoice, Maranatha Come Lord Jesus, His day is at hand. When we see up is down and right is called wrong, when this is happening, we were told this; these days would be as the days of Noah.” 

That statement is one of conviction and courage. It is of conviction because only a true believer in Christ can make that statement with the expectancy and enthusiasm that Michele displayed. It is courageous because her many critics and haters will jump on this as just another example of "crazy Michele".

Just let me say that I am encouraged that there are some professing Christians in our country who know what time it is and are not afraid to voice their opinion. The milk toast, politically correct churches that fill our land are totally unwilling to rebuke and warn our fallen culture. And the entertainment centers that masquerade as churches sure don't want to upset people with talk of the end times or last days. Most pastors today resemble the fallen shepherds of Jeremiah's world when they tell there parishioners what they want to be told.

May God bless Michele Bachmann's boldness and expand her realm of influence in our sick country!

The song performed in this video is by my good friend, Mitch Langley. He currently serves as the worship pastor at Northland Christian Church in Topeka, Kansas.

Carl Gallups Rebukes The Latest Pope Francis Heresy

Carl Gallups is a Southern Baptist pastor in Florida. He has been cranking out youtube videos that get massive traffic. He is particularly tuned in to the signs of these last days and the heresies of popular teachers. His latest target is the new Pope and justifiably so. Here is a video by Carl, pay attention to what he says especially the last half of the video.

Francis is a universalist. Universalism is an old heresy that basically states that everyone will go to Heaven. According to this view it doesn't matter what God you worship or how much of a hedonist you are you will go to Heaven regardless. Pope Francis takes this false teaching a step further. He says that you don't have to believe in God at all!
It is amazing to me that one fourth of this world claims membership in this apostate organization despite the continued immorality, pedophilia and false teachings that roll out of the Vatican on a conveyor belt. Jesus pretty much summed it up in the third chapter of John when He said that men love darkness rather than light.
For centuries Popes have professed that they are the Vicar of Christ. This term means that the Catholic church believes these men are the actual representative of Christ on Earth. Furthermore they believe that the Pope and his priests have the power to forgive men of their sins. It's heresy, pure and simple.
I prefer to go to the genuine article, the pre-imminent One, the Lord Jesus Christ.

I Timothy 2:5
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

I have found that I can go right to the throne of Jesus at any time to find help in my time of need. I am thankful that I was raised in a home that was not under the spell of the church of Rome. I am thankful that at an early age I came to faith in Christ as my Savior. I understand that millions of people in this world are trapped by family expectations to stay in this sinful church. We should continue to witness to Catholic friends and loved ones and urge them to come to a simple trust in Jesus and find a church that believes in the Bible as the sole authority for their lives. 

Is Bible Prophecy Unfolding Before Our Eyes?

Since the use of nerve agents in Syria the world has begun to spin out of control. Are we seeing Bible prophecy unfolding before our very eyes? It appears that is exactly what is happening.
The main players of the war described in Ezekiel 38 anbd 39 have now entered the stage. The main players of the Psalm 83 war are all on the chess board. The unfulfilled prophecy of Isaiah 17 is about to be fulfilled.
Isaiah 17

King James Version (KJV)

17 The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.

I was visiting a friend this past week. He normally is not one to listen to my thoughts on the end times. I was amazed that he thought we could be on the verge of a dollar collapse and nuclear war. My father shared with me that he was visiting an old church member this week and this man said that he felt we were coming to the end of time. 

These anecdotal examples are just the tip of a huge iceberg of prophetic truth that is about to explode on our world. The question I have asked all along in these hundred and sixty odd blog posts is the same question I will repeat right now. Are you ready for the days ahead? Do you know that your sins are forgiven and heaven is your home? 

You can be saved right now by trusting in Christ as your personal Savior. Time is running out. Watch the 3 minute video in the right sidebar and believe on Jesus today.

Is Suicide Forgiven By God? The Curious Case Of Martin Manley

Martin Manley was a former sportswriter for the Kansas City Star and a sports blogger for the last seven years. On Thursday, August 15, Manley parked outside a local KC police station and took his own life with a firearm. The question that popped into my mind is the same question that a lot of people who read this story are asking..."Is suicide forgiven by God?".
Martin was in good health and did not seem to be in any crisis at the time. He was very calculating in his plans to commit suicide and spent several months building a website to document his decision to end his life and other pieces of information that he wanted to share with friends, fans and family. Why did he choose suicide? Here is the answer from his site...

"I always thought I might commit suicide someday. When I considered the options of living to be old and all the negatives associated with that alternative, I knew there was no way on earth I was going to allow myself to deal with such an intolerable situation. In order to guarantee that I avoided it, I also knew that I had to commit the act before I was incapacitated and unable to carry it out.
 The thought of being in a nursing home, physically or mentally disabled, was the single scariest thing I had ever thought about - at least on this earth. So, in order to make sure that it never happened, I determined that I would have to end things when I was still semi-intelligent and physically able. That’s what I mean by saying “Because I can.”

"One said of suicide, 'As long as one has brains one should not blow them out.' And another answered, 'But when one has ceased to have them, too often one cannot.'"― F.H. Bradley

After reading much of Mr. Manley's site I concluded that he was "disappointed" with life and dreading the prospects of getting much older and losing his independence Why did he end his life at age 60? Here is more from his site...

. 
"Clearly, age 60 is somewhat of an arbitrary age to end my life. But, it isn’t just that age 60 is a nice round number. It's also August 15, 2013 – the very day I turned 60. That’s symmetry and I loved a lot of things, but not many more than good symmetry.
 Besides, beginning with the age of 60, a lot of people begin to die. It’s too bad, I guess. I suppose we should all be so fortunate to live to be Methuselah’s age of 969, but much like the buggy whip, the glory days of 900+ year olds is a thing of the past."

 Was Mr. Manley a Christian? I believe that he was and I have included a bit more of his own words below...


So, I hope nobody will read this site and be motivated into committing suicide. This site is not here to justify it and it’s not here for that reason. Besides, how many people are like me in this world? Maybe two if I’m looking in a mirror.
 Instead, my hope is that anyone reading this will recognize that I have mixed emotions and mixed logic with respect to how I reconcile my Christianity with suicide. But, I’ve really never strayed from the fact that I believe in Christ and I believe the story of the Bible.

Mr. Manley wrote much more about his faith in Christ but Yahoo took his site down just a couple of days after his death. I retrieved this information before they removed it. Martin had planned his suicide since June of 2012! Again, I ask the question and I hope to answer it "does God forgive suicide?".
Here are some of my thoughts concerning the answer to this question. 
First, suicide is a sin just as gluttony, lust, greed, dishonesty, theft and a whole lot of other transgressions are sin. We tend to categorize some sins as unforgivable and sadly many have done just that when it comes to suicide. Sin is sin, however, some sins have greater consequences than others and such is the case of suicide. Martin Manley will never have the opportunity to sin again because his final act was indeed final. The catholic church has deemed suicide a "mortal" sin. In other words, they feel it cannot be forgiven. The church of Rome is in error for categorizing some sins as venial and others as mortal. There is only one mortal sin and that is the sin of unbelief. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that suicide or any other sin is unforgivable. The only unforgivable sin is to fail to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior...period. If Martin Manley had truly trusted Christ as his Savior then he is a forgiven man at this very moment. If you are reading this blog post and you have never done anything that you feel is very grievous but you have never believed in Jesus as your Savior you will die "unforgiven" and miss Heaven altogether. Does that shock you? Does that seem fair to you? It really doesn't matter what you think about it, the Bible insists that the only sin that can't be forgiven is unbelief. God can forgive suicide if the one committing that act is a believer. Second, while suicide can be forgiven it still can have a profound impact in two ways. The deceased will not be able to undo their decision and will hurt loved ones here on Earth. That is something that I just don't think anyone could ever fully grasp. The other impact will be experienced in Heaven. I believe that ending one's life could well cost a believer "reward" and status in the world to come. There are numerous passages in the Scriptures that indicate we will suffer loss of reward for some of the decisions we make here in this life. We may make it to Heaven but the quality of our life in Heaven can be determined by the Christian life that we live here and now. 
Martin Manley is gone from this world and the story will die down in the days ahead. But what about you dear Reader? Are you ready to meet God? Have you trusted Jesus as your Savior? I urge you to watch the short video in the right sidebar and read some of the materials on this site. Place a child-like faith in Jesus today! 

Pastor Farag Not Afraid To Preach Prophecy!

It's been awhile since my last post and I thought I would share a youtube video of Pastor J.D. Farag. Pastor Farag does a "prophecy update" every Sunday morning at his Calvary Chapel Church in Hawaii. August 4 was a spectacular update and I think you need to watch to get your mind off of this Earth and on to better things in the world to come!
I wonder how many weak kneed church members today would put up with a 34 minute prophecy review? Most today don't want to be bothered by the very real signs of the times that are all around us. For most Christians today church has become a latte, rock concert and a little fuzzy dog talk to make them "feel good" as they skip out the front door.
Praise God for fearless men like Pastor Farag. By the way, Pastor J.D. is a saved Palestinian!

Did The Zimmerman Trial Distract You?

The George Zimmerman trial began on June 24 and ended on July 13. During the course of that trial three teenagers and one five year old boy were gunned down in Chicago. There were no special news interviews with Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson. In fact, hardly anyone noticed these tragedies at all! Keep in mind that Chicago is the most gun restrictive city in the United States! What is my point in bringing this up? My point is that the American public is easily distracted. While the Zimmerman trial unfolded not only were children murdered in Chicago but the U.S. economy inched closer to the abyss and the U.S. military crept closer to full tilt war in Syria and Iran. You might think I'm being overly dramatic but consider these facts.

The government released statistics last week that revealed that only 47% of American adults have a full time job. They can doctor their unemployment numbers until the cows come home but you can't make that statistic look anything other that what it is...a disaster. The government also released data that said over 100 million Americans are on some form of food assistance. Did you let that sink in? That is nearly one third of the country! Recovery? Hardly! The U.S. policy in the Middle East continues to back Muslim Brotherhood rebels in Syria and this is not going unnoticed by the Russians. I don't want to drag this post into a political discussion. I just want to illustrate that we have a propensity to take our eye off the ball and fail to notice things that pose an imminent danger to us all.

The same can be said for men, women, boys and girls when it comes to our spiritual lives. We get all caught up in the baseball races, the NFL camps and upcoming college football season and pay no attention to where we stand with our Creator and Heavenly Father. Perhaps sports are not a distraction for you but if you were honest you have other interests that take your mind off of eternal things. We are entrapped in this temporal earthly dimension and fail to realize that we are eternal beings who will spend our future in either Heaven or Hell and the decision we make concerning the one true God, Jesus Christ, will have to be made now in this life.
So where do you stand with Jesus? Have you come to the point in your spiritual life where you can say for certain that if you were to die today you would go to Heaven? Supposed you were to die today and you were to stand before God and He were to ask you "Why should I let you into my Heaven?" what would you tell Him? You see the only answer that works is "I have trusted Jesus as my Savior". Sadly, most people will not be able to answer that question adequately on the great day of judgement! I encourage you to watch the short video in the right sidebar and read some articles on this site. Come to Jesus, do it soon!

Last Words Of The Executed: John William Cockrum

This morning I happened to stumble upon an article detailing the final words of men who were being executed for their crimes. I read a very poignant story about executed convict, John William Cockrum. Cockrum grew up in a violent home. His dad was an alcoholic police officer who routinely physically abused John and his sisters. Consequently, at the age of 9, John Cockrum began what would become a lifelong abuse of drugs. The violence in his home continued unabated until at the age of 17 John Cockrum took a firearm and shot his father during one of his dad's angry tirades. His father would die of his wounds several days later but he would tell police before his death that the shooting was an accident. This information spared young Cockrum from a murder conviction and prison time. Unfortunately, the death of his father did not end the drug use. Mr. Cockrum would continue a life of crime to acquire money for the drugs. In 1979 he was convicted of the burglary of a building, in 1985 he was convicted of attempted burglary and in 1986 he was convicted of marijuana possession. A failure to rein in his criminal behavior led him to a fateful event on May 29, 1986. On this date John would attempt the robbery of a convenience store in Bowie County, Texas. The burglary did not go as planned and John Cockrum fired a 22-caliber bullet into the head of 69 year old store owner Eva May mortally wounding her. Cockrum's accomplice, Jerry Morgan, promptly turned himself in and led police to the pistol used in the crime. He struck a deal for his testimony and the rest would be history for Cockrum.

John Cockrum was convicted and sentenced to die by lethal injection. In 1993 he would forfeit all further legal attempts to forestall his punishment and on September 30, 1997 he was executed by the State of Texas. It is customary to give the guilty man a final word and the following are John Cockrum's final words...

"I would like to apologize to the victim’s family for all of the pain I have caused them. I would like to tell my family I love them and I hope to see them again soon. Lord Jesus, thank you for giving me the strength and the time in my life to find Jesus Christ and to be forgiven for all of my sins. Thank you for the changes in my life you have given me, the love and closeness of my family, and my beautiful daughter. Thank you for using me."

I realize that jailhouse religion is often just that...religion. I realize that many people enter prison and profess to have something they really don't have in reality. But I sense in John Cockrum's statement three things that lead me to believe that a heart change really occurred in his life. First, he indicated remorse for what he had done and the people he had hurt. In other words, there was indication that he had experienced a repentant heart and he had changed his mind about himself and his actions. Second, he expressed the belief that his hope of forgiveness was in Jesus Christ. His statement is reminiscent of the statement made by the penitent thief who hung on a cross next to Jesus. He knew he was rightly condemned but his hope was in a Savior who was dying next to him . Third, Cockrum expressed a desire that his family come to know Christ so that he could one day see them again. The true mark of a born again person is the desire they have for the souls of others. Of the 36 famous last words of dying convicts that were detailed in the story I found John Cockrum's was the only story indicating a true touch from the Savior. None of the other statements relayed sorrow or remorse. None of the other statements mentioned  a trust in Christ, in fact, most of the final words were full of cursing and anger.
Most touching concerning these final words by John Cockrum was the thankfulness that God had given him "time" to come to Jesus. He was thankful for the 10 years in prison that provided one last chance for him to be saved.
Let me ask you a few questions. Do you identify with John Cockrum? Are you thankful that God providentially led you to a trusting belief in His dear Son? Do you recognize that there is really no substantive difference between John Cockrum and your own sinful life? You see, you can't go to Heaven until you recognize your own depravity and sinfulness. Christian, have you thanked God lately for your own conversion? Have you thanked Him for giving you time to come to Jesus? Finally, have you thanked Him for "using" your life and testimony?
I look forward to visiting with John Cockrum one day. I look forward to hearing the glowing words from a grateful heart as to how a Savior rescued his life. And I look forward to sharing with John how Jesus rescued me!

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Harris Poll Findings Reveal That Fewer Americans Are Happy

I'm a big fan of the Drudgereport.com because Matt Drudge is the leading newsman in the world and the king of internet news. He included this story on his site this week. It is a story about the latest Harris Poll findings that describe the "happiness index" in a downward trend. Harris found that only one third of Americans described themselves as "very happy".
So what is the problem? We hear everyday how the great American economy is getting better so why not get happy? The truth is that the American economy is not getting better. This story reveals that the average American's wealth has decreased 55% from the great recession of 2008. Maybe people are unhappy because they are broke, I don't know. Perhaps people are unhappy because we sit on the precipice of WW3. If you don't believe that opinion I encourage you to watch the following video
Personally, I think there is too much emphasis on "happiness" and not enough attention paid to "joy". Happiness is a fleeting buzz of adrenaline that we get when things are going good. It is a circumstance driven emotion. When my boss pats me on the head and I shoot a par round of golf then I might be happy, at least for the rest of the day. If however, the next day everything goes wrong I may become unhappy. Happiness is just not consistent or very sustainable. In fact, in the Bible the word "happy" is found only 28 times and the word "happiness" is never mentioned. In contrast, the word "joy" is found 165 times and "joyful" 25 times  Happiness loses out to joy by a whopping score of 190 to 28.
I think God is far more interested in our joyfulness rather than our happiness. Joy is that inner conviction that no matter what my current situation all will be well because of my relationship to the Creator. Those fortunate folks who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ have an inner conviction that if the economy collapses to nite or WW3 breaks out tomorrow their eternal destination is safe in the Lord. It was joy that bolstered the faith of hymn writer Horatio Spafford. Spafford lost his fortune in the Great Fire of Chicago and all four of his daughters in a ship wreck on the Atlantic. Spafford, like Job, could look at the tragedies of life and still be joyful. A fabulous re-telling of this story can be found here.  Horatio Spafford penned these faith filled words in a boat that was directly over the watery graves of his children.

"It Is Well With My Soul"

When peace like a river attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
What ever my lot you have taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul

Though the devil will ruin, though trials may come
Let this blessed assurance control
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate
And He shed His own blood for my soul

It is well, with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

My sin, oh the bliss of this glorious thought
My sin not in part but the whole
Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, oh my soul

It is well, with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

It is well with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

And Lord haste the day when my faith shall be sight
And the clouds be rolled back as a scroll
The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend
Even so, it is well with my soul

It is well with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

It is well with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul 

Dear Reader, is it well with your soul? Are you trusting Jesus as Saviour? Are you ready for the days ahead? Come to Jesus, He is waiting for you.

Atheist Survivor Of Tornado In Oklahoma Needs A Change Of Mind!

Rebecca Vitsmun and her 19 month old son are fortunate to be alive. Vitsmun is a survivor of the tornado in Moore, Oklahoma, and she is an atheist. Here is a snippet from an article in which she is interviewed by a famed CNN reporter, Wolf Blitzer...

"We're happy you're here. You guys did a great job," Blitzer said to Rebecca Vitsmun, who escaped from her house with her 19-month-old son right before the twister tore through it. "You've gotta thank the Lord, right? Do you thank the Lord for that split-second decision?"
Vitsmun hesitates for a moment and smiles. "I -- I'm actually an atheist," she said, laughing off the awkward moment.
"You are. All right. But you made the right call," Blitzer said.
"We are here, and I don't blame anyone for thanking the Lord," Vitsmun said.

The article went on to say that there has been a 13% drop in "religiosity" between 2005 and 2012. I want to make a couple of observations about this story.  
Observation number one, Rebecca Vitsmun laughed when she mentioned that she is an atheist. I hope that Rebecca has a change of heart about God particularly the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. It's amazing to me that anyone could laugh off a narrow brush with death. Rebecca dodged death this time but she will eventually be capture by the cold grasp of what the Bible calls an enemy. The Scriptures tell us in Hebrews 9:27 that it is "appointed" unto men once to die. Rebecca will one day die and if she has not changed her mind about Jesus and not placed her faith in what he did to rescue her from hell and death then she will have to pay for her decision for the rest of eternity. I am praying that Ms. Vitsmun comes to Christ.  
Observation number two, America has had a 13% reduction in "religiosity". Religiosity - are you serious? That is precisely what is wrong with America. What is religiosity? We don't need religiosity, we need Jesus! The Scriptures go on to tell us in Acts chapter 4 that there is one name given among men whereby ye must be saved and that name is Jesus. America has become the modern day Sodom and Gomorrah and judgement is already beginning for our country. We should not be laughing after a national calamity like Moore, Oklahoma, but we should be weeping over our sin and hardness of heart toward the one true God.
Dear Reader, have you been to Jesus for His forgiveness and have you freely received the gift of eternal life that He is longing to give you? Come to Christ now!

The Simpson's 24 Year Assault On Beloved Bible Stories Will Come To A Halt Soon!

I spend some time looking at recent news items on Youtube.com. That should not be a surprise to anyone who searches for information online. Youtube is the second largest search engine trailing only Google. As I was looking at news items concerning current events I stumbled upon a clip from an old Simpson's episode entitled "Thank God For Doomsday". This episode is a good example of the Simpson's continual assault on the great stories of the Bible. This particular episode makes fun of the rapture and the judgment of mankind.  Here is a summary of that episode that I borrowed from tv.com. , go ahead and read it and I'll comment more afterwards.

The Rapture from Thank God It's Doomsday

Bart and Lisa want to start getting their hair cut at the mall. They go to the mall with Homer and while getting their haircut they get into a fight, which results in them each getting really bad haircuts. Out in the mall they are spotted by fellow school students who have cameras in hand. They find Homer and go on the run; they sneak into the back entrance of a movie theater and see the film "Left Below," which is a movie about the apocalypse. The images in the movie are disturbing to Homer, who fears the worst. Marge assures him that there needs to be some ominous signs before the rapture will come. When Homer is out driving, he sees what he believes to be the signs. Homer gathers some books on the subject and he calculates that the "rapture is nigh" at 3:15 PM on May 18th, seven days from now. He starts to spread the word and tells everyone on television a passage from Revelations 6:13 that says before the rapture "the stars will fall to Earth." At the Springfield Stadium, there is a celebrity filled blimp accident that causes the stars on board to fall to the Earth and Homer gains instant credibility. He gets a bus full of people to join him at Springfield Mesa. When the appointed time comes and goes, Homer loses credibility and everyone return back to their normal lives. Homer later realizes that he made a mistake in his calculation and the new time is only 30 minutes away. When no one in his family will join him Homer goes to the Mesa on his own. The rapture comes and Homer goes to heaven, but despite all that heaven has to offer, Homer needs his family. He gets an audience with God, but when God won't grant his request to have his family join him; Homer begins raising hell in heaven. To put a stop to it, God agrees to turn back time and put off the rapture.less

The bizarre thing about this episode which was produced in 2005 is that it was produced by the Simpson's new writer, Don Payne. I bring that to your attention because Don Payne died of bone cancer in March of this year. I think that there are some sobering things about this story which we should consider.  First, I don't think it is ever a good idea to mock or ridicule God and His Word under any circumstances. The Bible tells us that making fun of God's promises will be epidemic in the last days.

Mr. Don Payne

 Jude 1:18

How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.

Second, we should be mindful of every word and action that proceeds from our lives because we don't know what the immediate future holds.

 James 4:13-14

¹³ Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:

¹⁴ Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

Third,  the time to admit our need for a Savior and trust Christ to save us is right now! I don't know where Don Payne is spending his eternity. Only God knows the eternal destination of all men. But I do know that Mr. Payne's opportunities to trust Christ occurred only during the time he spent here on earth. Dear Reader, the events unfolding in our present time indicate that Christ may come at any moment. Are you ready? Are you ready for a disastrous diagnosis like Don Payne received last year? Come to Christ, run to Jesus now.

George Jones: His Death And His Faith

George Jones the legendary voice of country music died today at Vanderbilt University Hospital, he was 81. I was saddened by his death because I have long recognized his immense talent. In fact, it was a George Jones song, A Picture Of Me Without You, that was sung at my wedding nearly 38 years ago. My wife really introduced me to his music.
As I thought about Jones and his life I did a little research and found this article written by Dr. Russell D. Moore, President of the School of Theology at Southern Seminary. This article and several others that I read today lead me to believe that George Jones had a trust in Jesus Christ as his Savior
I think that George represents the story of a lot of Christians who make poor choices and get out of fellowship with God. But in the end he made the fellowship with the Lord a priority and quit destructive habits for good. Here is a song that George recorded that reveal his struggles with sin and the goodness of God.

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Here are the lyrics to the song above...

I say, Christian pilgrim, so redeemed from sin
Called out of darkness a new life to begin
Were you ever in the valley where the way is dark and dim
Did you ever drink the cup of loneliness with Him

Did you ever have them laugh at you and say it was a fake
The stand that you so boldly for the Lord did take
Did you ever have them mock at you and laugh in ways quite grim
Did you ever drink the cup of loneliness with Him

Did you ever try to preach then hold fast and pray
And even when you did it there did not seem a way
And you lost all courage then lost all your vim
Did you ever drink the cup of loneliness with him

Oh my friends 'tis bitter sweet while here on earthly sod
To follow in the footsteps that our dear Savior trod
To suffer with the Savior and when the way is dark and dim
To drink from the bitter cup of loneliness with Him

It is important to remember that George Jones was influenced as a child by a Sunday School teacher and the pastor's wife. It was in church that Jones began to sing and to develop a life-long love for gospel music. I don't know the exact time that Jones trusted Christ as his Savior but I do know that the moment one looks to Jesus in faith they are wondrously saved. I am reminded of the wonderful lyrics of Fanny Crosby...

 O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To every believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

Much of George Jones life was not useful in service to the Lord but was mired down in sin. Jones was always very honest and candid about his failings. But the faithfulness of Jesus Christ is what keeps us saved it's not our own works that maintain our relationship with the Almighty.

Galatians 2:20

King James Version (KJV)

²⁰ I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith (faithfulness) of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Trust in Jesus as your Savior and receive a pardon today!

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What Is Wrong With Stephen Hawking?

When someone asks the question "What is wrong with Stephen Hawking?" they should qualify their question. If you want to know what is wrong with Dr. Hawking from a physical stand point the answer is simple. Dr. Hawking has battled Lou Gehrig disease for 50 years. In fact, we can congratulate Hawkings courage and perseverance against this disease because it claims most of its victims in a relatively short time.
If you want to know what is wrong with Dr. Hawking from a spiritual perspective the answer is pretty simple as well. Dr. Hawking used to acknowledge a small role for God in the creation of the universe. However, in recent years he no longer sees God as a necessary ingredient in the story of origins. He has made the following statement.."The universe can and will create itself out of nothing." He is also credited with the following quote..."We are each free to believe what we want, and it's my view that the simplest explanation is; there is no god". I personally don't see how anyone could come to the conclusion that all that can be seen with the eye and all that is invisible to us just "created" itself! Maybe it's just me but I think it takes more blind faith to believe that nonsense then to believe that "in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth". You can read more about Dr. Hawkings beliefs or lack thereof at this site.
So then, what is Dr. Hawking's spiritual problem? He is a fool according to the Word of God.

Psalm 14:1

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

I know what you are thinking, I don't have a Ph.D. in physics and I wasn't a professor in mathematics at Cambridge for 30 years. You're right, I'm just a simple man who believes the Bible is the Word of God. The Bible makes it very clear, if you don't acknowledge God's existence and His essential part in all the universe then you are a "fool". 

I hope for a couple of things for Dr. Hawking. I hope that his physical condition could improve and that his suffering could be eased. Most of all, I hope that Dr. Hawking will one day acknowledge Jesus Christ as His Savior and Lord.

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What Happens If The North Korea Threats To The United States Materialize?

The world is experiencing what the Bible calls "birth pangs" as bizarre events are occurring more frequently and with more intensity. Do a Google search of the following items and you will soon discover that we are indeed living in the last days..

mass animal deaths

earthquakes

sinkholes

super storms

peace and security rhetoric

rfid chips and the mark of the beast

collapsing global economy

famine

pestilence

wars and rumors of wars

The latest rumors of war are coming from North Korea and their almost daily threats of nuclear attack on the United States are becoming very unsettling. Here is an article that is appearing right now on the front page of Matt Drudge's news site. Most folks in America are so confident that there is no way that the North Koreans could land a nuke shot to our land that it really alarms me. The old adage that pride goes before a fall does apply here. There are too many of our people who think the behavior of North Korea's leader are entirely unprovoked but I would have to disagree with that position. Watch the following video and gain some insight into our relationship with this country.

What if we experienced a nuclear hit next week? What would be the consequences of such an unthinkable event? No doubt our land would experience a total economic collapse and we would probably see the implementation of martial law as well. The world that you and I live in is very fragile and the dominoes could all fall by the next calamity that rears its ugly head. Jesus said that when the final events begin to occur it would be a "sudden destruction" that catches the masses by surprise. 

Dear Reader, are you ready for end time events? Are you ready for extreme difficulties and possible death? The Bible declares that "today" is the day of salvation. You can know what it means to be forgiven and free by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. I urge you to watch the short video in the right sidebar. Let me know what you think of the times we are living in and let me know if you have believed on Jesus.

A Wonderful C.I. Schofield Quote Gives Hope To Sinners!

I recently bought a book by Matthew Correll entitled Faith Alone:  The Way To Christ (Spiritual Living In Light Of God's Grace).  In chapter five of this marvelous book he starts off with a quote by C.I. Schofield which says...

"The Law condemns the best person; grace justifies the worst."

Here is what the psalmist said as he was living under the demands of God's law...

^{Psalm 40:12} For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.

Under the law of God in the Old Testament setting it could truly be said that the law condemned the "best" person. The best of the best could never live up to the demands of a Holy God. It has been said that if you have ever broken just one of God's laws then you are guilty of breaking them all. The writer of the book of Romans in the New Testament said that all have sinned and all have come short of the glory of God. The guilt of not being able to measure up to God's perfect standard  is very oppressive to the human soul. Notice what the psalmist said "mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head." The psalmist was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of his sin and it was affecting his life emotionally, physically and spiritually. I truly believe that the reason the United States of America is such a medicated society is because of the guilt of unforgiven sin. 

Thankfully, we don't live under the law and the Old Testament system anymore. We live in the age of grace. Remember Schofield's quote? "Grace justifies the worst". You may have lived a life of unbridled sin and debauchery but grace says you can have your record totally expunged! Here is what the New Testament writer says...

/Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

2 Corinthians 5:19  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

2 Corinthians 5:19 New English Translation  In other words, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting people’s trespasses against them, and he has given us the message of reconciliation. 

Grace through Christ's work on the cross and resurrection from the dead forgives ALL our sins and no longer COUNTS sins against us! It forgives the worst!  Maybe you can identify with that phrase "the worst". Perhaps you have sinned to the point that you don't feel you can be forgiven. The good news is that God's grace is free for the taking. If you will simply believe that what Christ did on the cross 2000 years ago is all that is necessary to pay for your sins then the Bible says you become a forgiven person, a child of God. I encourage you to watch the video in the right sidebar of this site. Yes, you can be forgiven in three minutes because of His grace!