Armageddon and the Apocalypse

Two prophetic events concerning the end times have historically been considered by many to be the same event; Armageddon and the Apocalypse. But they’re different events that will occur at different times and it’s important for us to make the distinction between them.

What is Armageddon? According to the Bible, it is an event where the armies of world nations will gather together in the plain of Megiddo outside of Israel to attempt to annihilate the Jewish nation. What is the Apocalypse? The Apocalypse is derived from the Greek word Apokalypsis and it means revelation. The Bible’s final book is called the Revelation and it reveals the prophetic end time events on earth using allegorical symbols and metaphorical words.

For example, the apostle John, who recorded the Apocalypse while he was in exile from Rome in about 90 A.D. on the desolate island of Patmos, revealed that he saw a monstrous beast with seven heads and 10 horns rise from the sea. (Revelation 13) John’s beast was an allegory for a powerful world government that will rise in the last days that will feature 10 nation groups that will be ruled by seven powerful kings. Furthermore, the Hebrew prophet Daniel, who lived about 700 years before John, received a similar allegorical vision of an end time global government that he described as “terrifying and frightening and very powerful.” (Daniel 7:7) Daniel’s beast “had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had 10 horns.”

Biblical prophecy reveals that this coming global government is going to be ruled by an eighth king that John informs us will be the dreaded Antichrist. (Revelation 17:11) He will have the ultimate authority over the seven kings and he will be considered by many to be Jesus Christ based upon his ability to perform incredible miracles (2Thessalonians 2:9, Revelation 13:13) and to bring peace to a world torn apart by war and strife. (1Thessalonians 5:3, Revelation 13:8) Millions of people, including many professing Christians, will mistake him for Christ when he appears and will swear allegiance to him, even taking his dreaded mark (Revelation 13:16-17) which will seal their eternal doom.

Throughout the 2,000 year history of the Christian Church, many prophecy students have believed that at some point after the Antichrist establishes his global government, he will turn against the Jewish nation of Israel and seek her destruction by ordering the armies of world nations to attack her. Some experts have theorized that he will order Israel’s destruction when the Jewish nation refuses to embrace him as Israel’s messiah or as God. Certainly, the bible reveals that this man is going to enter a rebuilt Jewish Temple in Jerusalem to defile it before he comes under God’s judgment. (Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15, 2Thessalonians 2:4)

But nowhere does biblical prophecy reveal that the Antichrist will seek revenge against Israel for rejecting him as the messiah by ordering her destruction. That storyline has been written in by some self-styled prophecy experts who were baffled by two distinct events that they tried to reconcile by tying them together. In fact, they can’t be tied together. Then what is going to happen when the Antichrist defiles the Jewish Temple? Christ used a scripture from the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 13:10) to reveal what’s going to happen: “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.” (Matthew 24:29) That will signal the return of Christ right after the Antichrist enters the Jewish Temple to defile it.

Furthermore, the apostle Peter described Christ’s return as the day of the Lord: “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.” (2Peter 3:10) Concerning his return, Christ stated: “There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man (Christ) coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up you heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:25-28)

The bible doesn’t mention the armies of world nations gathering outside of Israel planning a devastating attack upon the Jewish nation when Christ returns. And yet the bible does reveal that Christ will purposely gather the nations of the world against Israel before he destroys them. (Ezekiel 38-39, Zechariah 14, Revelation 20:7-10) So when is this event, known as Armageddon, going to take place?

It is going to take place at the end of Christ’s 1,000-year millennial reign before he establishes a new heaven and earth. According to the Revelation: “When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth--Gog and Magog--to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. (Jerusalem) But fire came down from heaven and devoured them.” (Revelation 20:7-9)

Compare the Revelation with the prophet Ezekiel’s prophecy concerning Armageddon that was recorded over 600 years before the Apocalypse. Ezekiel quoted the Lord directly who described Israel at the time of Armageddon as a place where “my people Israel are living in safety…” (Ezekiel 38:14) Certainly, the Israelites aren’t living in safety these days with the threat of nuclear annihilation hanging over their heads from the Iranians and now the new threat of trouble from Egypt since the Muslim Brotherhood gained power in that nation. In fact, the Israelis are surrounded by trouble with the Palestinians seeking Israel’s destruction from the inside and hostile Islamic nations such as Iran, Syria, Egypt and Hezbollah in Lebanon seeking to destroy the Jewish nation from the outside.

Armageddon will occur at the end of Christ’s millennial reign. It seems inconceivable that the nations of the world would turn against Christ and the nation of Israel while he rules the world from Jerusalem. And yet that’s going to happen. That underscores the absolute sinfulness and depravity in the hearts of men, even while they live in the presence of God himself. And when the world attempts to destroy Israel, Christ is going to finally put an end to the chronic rebellion that has driven mankind to reject God since the dawn of history: “Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle.” (Zechariah 14:3) And he will completely destroy them.

It’s vitally important to make the distinction between the Apocalypse and Armageddon. Because a counterfeit messiah is coming who will seemingly rescue Israel from her hostile Islamic enemies, only to defile a rebuilt Jewish Temple and to deceive the entire world. If you don’t understand the difference between these two events, you may very well get swept away by the first one if you happen to be around when it occurs.

The Post-Christian World

How did the world ever manage to survive before the advent of I-Phones, I-Pads, laptops, MP3s and the internet? In fact, it not only survived but it managed to be a lot more informed about current events and world affairs than today. For example, 30 years ago, most Americans could probably name their senators and congressmen while today, many don't even know who their Vice President is.

Which is probably a good thing when you consider that Joe Biden is one of the most inept and gaffe prone vice presidents in U.S. history. But that's still shocking when much of the American electorate doesn't even know who he is considering that he's a buffoonish vaudeville act who wears his shoes in his mouth almost as often as he wears them on his feet.

For the record, Joe Biden is the very bad vice president to a very bad president named Barack Obama. And for the record, shock jock Howard Stern, he of XM radio these days, recently sent his assistants into Harlem, New York to ask some of its empty-headed residents some loaded questions concerning Obama and Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Stern had his assistants ask the folks whether they were concerned about Obama's Mormonism and Romney's Islamic faith. The answers they received were startling only because the folks who answered the questions weren't startled by the questions. Which means that they had no clue that Romney was the Mormon and Obama once identified himself as a Muslim.

And so, the road to the end of a civilization is paved with stupidity and lined with ignorance. When Jesus Christ urged his followers to "be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves", (Matthew 10:16) he clearly meant that in order for the Gospel to remain relevant in the world, they would have to keep themselves relevant by understanding what motivates the world and how it thinks. In other words, it does you absolutely no good if the guy your trying to communicate with doesn't speak your language.

The Christian Church in the western world forgot about that beginning in the 19th century and tried to maintain its relevance through the methods that worked in the Middle Ages. But the Bible doesn't mean much to people who have been taught to believe that they are the end products of millions of years of random evolutionary forces. So, before you can convince someone that the Bible contains the historical, evidential word of God, you have to convince him that his secular belief system is a fraud. And you do that by explaining that the particular protein combinations that make up the DNA of living organisms couldn't have evolved through some random, unintelligent process because that's scientifically as well as mathematically impossible.

Once you've dismantled Darwinian evolution and proven it a fraud, you can prove the Bible as the living word of God by over 300 specific prophecies recorded in the Old Testament that pointed to Christ as the Jewish Messiah hundreds and thousands of years before he appeared. For example, Christ's virgin birth, (Isaiah 7:14, Eighth Century B.C.) his birthplace in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2, Sixth Century B.C.) and his crucifixion (Psalm 22, 1,000 B.C.) provide irrefutable evidence that Christ is the Messiah and that physical life was created by God rather than by some biological accident in a primordial mud pond millions of years ago.

If the Christian Church had maintained its relevance, then such secular abominations as abortion, gay marriage and euthanasia wouldn't exist. And we'd see less moral depravity and its byproducts such as alcoholism, drug addition, sexually transmitted diseases and crime. And we'd also see much less stupidity from fewer politicians sporting footwear in their mouths to fewer American citizens spewing moronic nonsense from their mouths. And we'd get fewer corrupt political leaders spewing rivers of lies from their mouths.

Enter the False Prophets

The one and only Reverend Ike

"For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible."--Matthew 24:24

I was contacted recently by some character who calls himself "The King." According to his narcissistic bravado, he's a self-styled prophet, or more accurately as he likes to describe himself, a psychic. Of course, that means that he claims the ability to make contact with "dead people" which the Bible condemns. Obviously, you can't call yourself a Christian prophet if you're conjuring the dead, so "The King" has to use the more general term of psychic on his business cards.

That would've been a problem for many people not that many years ago, but as they say; that was then and this is now. During the "then" days, psychics were the stuff of whack jobs and wing nuts who saw space aliens landing in their backyards and witches flying around on old broomsticks. If you had the money, the psychics sold you the honey and allowed those space aliens and witches to continue living rent free inside your head.

But "then" isn't "now" when psychics, astrologers, fortune-tellers, tarot card readers and other assorted practitioners of psychological voodoo have suddenly gained credibility within mainstream society. These creatures also exist inside churches, although unlike "The King", they carry on as "prophets." Well, what's wrong with these people? What's wrong is that their prophecies are bogus and lead gullible people astray, either to a different Jesus Christ who's some celestial sugar daddy who allegedly reveals heavenly secrets of accumulating vast wealth, or they conjure up bogus revivals that are only realized inside fertile imaginations.

During the "then" days when more Christians were literate with the Bible, characters such as the Rev. Ike, Fred K.C. Price and Benny Hinn were written off as cheap circus-act preachers who peddled spiritual snake oil. Today however, such charlatans enjoy large followings because they promise the bread and put on the circus for a growing number of biblically ignorant Christians who can't tell whether the Book of Hebrews is in the Old or New Testament.

When your audience is that dumb, you can wave your sport coat at some minimum-wage lackeys; claim the Holy Spirit's in the Pierre Cardin and watch the lackeys and the audience fall like dominoes. Works almost every time. Ask Hinn who's become a millionaire from the millions of suckers who have fallen for his act for over 30 years. Or ask your average inner-city storefront church preacher who drives a seven series BMW courtesy of the suckers who arrive in his parking lot in 20-something-year-old oil-smokers and rust-buckets. It's those same suckers who pay for the reverend's BMW.

What makes false prophets so dangerous within Christianity is their ability to convince their followers that their seminary and theology school degrees give them the ability to hear directly from God. One of the greatest counterfeit revivals is coming that will be fueled by false prophets who are claiming that the world is on the cusp of an explosion of signs, wonders and miracles. Concerning this bogus revival, the apostle Paul warned: "The coming of the lawless one (Antichrist) will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing." (2Thessalonians 2:9-10)

The way to overcome false prophets is by testing them. Unfortunately, fewer Christians today either have the ability to test alleged prophecies because they don't know the Bible, or they simply don't care. And that's tragic. Apathy leads to spiritual deception and ultimately eternal damnation. Ignorance is what pads "The King's" wallet, and he counts on his suckers not knowing what he's really all about. But ignorance and apathy are a dangerous combination within the Christian Church because that pads the devil's membership roles. The way to avoid being deceived was explained by Paul: "Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil." (1Thessalonians 5:21-22)

Especially avoid false prophets and con artists who call themselves psychics.

1980 and 2012

America, circa 2012

"The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice."--Proverbs 12:15

Certainly, there are a lot of similarities between 1980 and 2012. In 1980, America was cursed with "stagflation", a malady brought on by the dreadful presidency of Jimmy Carter. Stagflation meant virtually zero economic growth; high inflation, high unemployment, high taxes, high gas prices and high interest rates. About the only thing that was low at the end of Carter's miserable and only term was America's self-esteem that was deep in the toilet.

Thankfully, Americans decided that they had enough of the flaming liberal Democrat, faux Southern Baptist and they replaced Carter in 1981 with Ronald Reagan who presided over one of the greatest economic recoveries in U.S. history during his two terms in the White House. You'd think that enough Americans still exist who remember those bleak days when Carter was a literal one-man wrecking ball whose policies ruined America's economy while turning the United States into a laughingstock across the world.

Unfortunately, either those Americans have forgotten what life was like under Carter or they have become masochists who enjoy pain and misery. Under current President Barack Obama, America has once again returned to the miserable days not seen since Carter with high unemployment, high taxes, high gas prices, high inflation and anemic economic growth. The difference in 2012 is that under the bumbling and inept Obama, the United States has racked up an astronomical $16 trillion in debt that threatens the very future of the nation. Economists are warning that unless the U.S. gets rid of that gargantuan debt--and soon--America's bond markets could collapse and plunge the nation into an economic depression equal to or even worse than what began with the stock market crash of 1929.

And that's frightening. What's even more frightening is the utter stupidity of many of today's Americans who remain totally clueless to the serious threat their nation faces. Here's an example: A blockhead named Rose Kling, who's a bartender in the Wisconsin town of Black River Falls, says that she'll vote to reelect Obama on November 6 because she thinks that Obama "is more of a normal kind of guy" than Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney who she views as "silver spoon people." (Chicago Tribune: 9/24/2012) Of course, Obama, the "normal kind of guy" (feel free to interpret that) has presided over the worst economic recovery since the Great Depression. And yet, Kling, who either wasn't around when Carter stunk up the White House or who simply doesn't care to remember how bad it was then, prefers four more years of Barack Obama.

Certainly, in 1980 there were no I-pods, I-pads, I-phones, laptop computers, Kindles, Nooks, Tablets or internet to entertain and distract the masses. Perhaps that's the problem; that Americans have become so distracted by their electronic toys that they can't see that their nation is disintegrating right before their eyes. Americans had far fewer distractions in 1980 and maybe that's why they were able to recognize just what a phony and a wretch Jimmy Carter was. And that's why they declined to award him a second term on November 4, 1980 when they elected Ronald Reagan as the 40th President of the United States.

Sadly, 2012 isn't 1980 and there are too many Americans such as Rose Kling who are dumb enough to grant Barack Obama a second term, even though he has been an abysmal failure and will probably be ranked as one of the worst presidents in U.S. history. When personality means more to people than ability, then they have chosen to preside over the destruction of their nation. In Proverbs 26:11 we read: "As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly." If America chooses to reelect Barack Obama on November 6, then that proverb will certainly be fulfilled.

The Road to Eternal Damnation

The lure of a Psychic

"I will set my face against the person who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute himself by following them, and I will cut him off from his people."--Leviticus 20:6

Fortune-telling has become a lucrative industry in the western world with psychics, astrologers, mediums and clairvoyants now operating numerous shops throughout major cities and small towns. There was a time when this sort of industry was clandestine and restricted to private residences and the back rooms of small businesses. And those who consulted fortune-tellers to seek advice about their personal lives and futures usually kept that a secret for fear of being considered foolish, insane, stupid, gullible or all of the above. 

But not any more. With the declining influence of Judeo-Christianity in the western world, occultism and its many byproducts such as fortune-telling have become immensely popular and have lost their stigma as a con racket that preys upon foolish and stupid people. What's the reason for the exploding popularity of this industry? Because many people want answers to problems and difficulties that plague their lives. And it's human nature to be curious about what lies ahead in the future and about events that occurred in the past that may be affecting the present.

And because of that curiosity, many people foolishly turn to psychics, astrologers and mediums to get answers to these questions. Unfortunately, those who seek the counsel of such people bring a curse upon themselves because God's laws recorded in the Bible expressively forbid contacting the spiritual realm for such guidance. Those laws, that were given by God to Moses, warn that those who violate these laws will pay a very heavy price in eternity unless they repent. 

Here's what Moses warned the ancient Jews concerning the practice of divination and sorcery: "When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and because of these detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the Lord." (Deuteronomy 18:9-13)

Some claim that the Mosaic Law only applied to the ancient Jews and therefore doesn't apply to the modern world. But the Mosaic Law embodied God's universal laws that apply to everyone. They were recorded by Moses who taught them to the ancient Jews who were obligated to teach those laws to the entire world. The fact that they didn't and then perverted God's laws was a monumental tragedy. But the fact is that the Mosaic Law contains God's universal laws that apply to all mankind. Those laws will be applied to everyone on Judgment Day who rejected Jesus Christ as the One who paid the ultimate penalty for their sins and for everyone who violated those laws.

Why does God prohibit us from contacting the spiritual realm? Because those who are able to connect with the spiritual realm will come in contact with demons under Satan's authority that will deceive them. In what ways? By either impersonating the dead, which they are very good at, or by denying the existence of hell and promoting a universal heaven where everyone goes to regardless of the lives they lived here on earth. They also deny, distort and dismiss the deity of Christ who they lower to the level of a religious holy man.  And they have enough information on people past and present that they can reveal to mediums to convince gullible people that the spiritists have the ability to predict the future.

They don't. Anything that these mediums predict that does come to pass results from the limited freedom that the demons possess to manipulate the circumstances in the lives of people who consult these occultists. For example, many years ago, a former acquaintance of mine consulted a psychic who predicted that he'd soon meet his future wife. He did and they got married. But he also brought a curse upon himself in the process. 

If you've ever consulted an astrologist, medium or a psychic, even if it was done in ignorance or just for entertainment, then confess that sin right now to Jesus Christ and repent of it because until you do, you have a curse hanging over you. And don't be fooled by years of success and prosperity; Satan has a legal right to you and he will come calling for you sooner or later. And when he does, look out--it will be too late. It's time to get right with God right now.  

53 to 47

"Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth."--Proverbs 10:4

Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney was excoriated recently for claiming that the 47 percent of Americans who don't pay any income tax will probably vote for Barack Obama's reelection on November 6. Romney's remarks, that were videotaped by Jimmy Carter IV, the grandson of former President Jimmy Carter, infuriated America's far left that accused Romney of arrogantly looking down his nose at America's poor and downtrodden.

He certainly did no such thing. Romney merely pointed out the painful truth that a growing number of Americans have allowed themselves to be pimped by entitlements offered by the Democratic Party in exchange for their votes. While buying votes has been a political strategy since time immemorial, at no time in American history has it been used so extensively to build a voting constituency as it is used today in America by the Democratic Party. That's what Romney pointed out and for that he was blasted by much of America's Marxist media that no longer attempts to hide its pro-Obama, pro-Democratic Party bias.

And so, America has reached the proverbial fork in the road of her existence; she can either choose to return to the path that made her the most prosperous, free and innovative nation on earth. Or, she can choose the path of dependency where a privileged few dwell in luxurious gated communities surrounded by obscene, opulent wealth while the rest of the nation dwells in poverty and third world squalor. Think that can't happen here? Then look at many of the nations in Central and South America. Or, better yet, look nations such as Greece, Spain and Italy where decades of socialism have bankrupted those countries and cursed them with high inflation, high unemployment and little hope for the future.

Certainly, not everyone who belongs to America's 47 percent is a slacker. Some are physically impaired and can't work. Others are elderly and incapable of working, while others have fallen down on their luck because of a terrible job market that has too many unemployed workers seeking too few jobs.

But many of that 47 percent are indeed capable of working, but refuse to do so because they have become lazy, unmotivated, shiftless and ignorant. They're content to exist on food stamps, link cards and other forms of welfare paid for by 53 percent of the population that is increasingly burdened by confiscatory taxes that deplete wealth, stifle job creation, destroy life-savings and ruin idealism. Redistribution of wealth, Marxism, socialism or whatever you call it never works; it is the recipe for the ruination of a nation. And unless America turns away from its growing culture of dependency that has been fueled by its lazy entitlement mentality, then she is doomed to become the world's biggest third world basket case. Sooner or later, and probably sooner, America's $16 trillion debt is going to destroy the nation. Then the food stamps, link cards, welfare and entitlement gravy train will be gone. All that will be left will be misery and suffering.

Nearly 2,000 years ago during his apostolic travels, the apostle Paul discovered that many people in the town of Thessalonica had become lazy and had quit working, preferring instead to exist on handouts from those who worked. He warned them that "if a man will not work, he shall not eat." (2Thessalonians 3:10) That wasn't Paul's opinion; it was God's will that those who are able but refuse to work will bring a curse upon themselves. When a growing percentage of a nation's citizens decide that they're entitled to exist solely on the fruit of someone else's labor, they bring a curse upon themselves and their nation. Thankfully, 53 percent of Americans still recognize that. Unfortunately, that's only six percent more than those who don't.

America in the Balance

The curse upon America

"Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's."--Matthew 22:21

What are Christians to do? Though we live in the world, we no longer belong to the world as true believers in Christ. Still, we retain citizenship in the nations where we live. So what should our attitude be when it comes to electing political leaders?

As Americans, we need to pray for our nation because it is in very serious trouble. Decades of moral depravity, fueled by a spiritual lazy church have produced a godless people who thumb their noses at God and treat his laws with contempt. From those godless people come wicked and immoral leaders who promise all sorts of gratuities in exchange for votes. As such, as government grows, freedoms evaporate. And, as people continue to barter away their freedom for entitlements, they become even more lazier, uneducated, unmotivated and the serfs of a leviathan government.

When America began as a sovereign nation in 1776, she feared and respected God and honored his laws and commandments. Though not all of America's founding fathers were Christians, they still recognized that their fledgling nation had no chance without the blessings and protection from an omniscient, Holy God. With God, America grew into the greatest and most prosperous superpower on earth; a nation that provided a sanctuary for people who were desperate to escape the tyranny and darkness of bloodthirsty dictators and mass murderers.

The God who made the United States of America the greatest nation on earth was the same God who led the ancient Israelites out of slavery in Egypt to Israel where he made his earthly dwelling in the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. This is the same God who sent his one and only Son Jesus Christ into the world to die for the sins of mankind 2,000 years ago on Calvary's cross.

Unfortunately, America has forgotten that. Americans have forgotten the God who blessed their nation and made their prosperity, hopes and dreams come true. Instead, America has become a vile and wicked nation that has murdered over 40 million babies through abortion since 1973, and proudly promotes her sexual sin and perversion in her streets. To the ancient Israelites who had a penchant for going spiritually astray, Moses warned: "Be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery." (Deuteronomy 6:12) When the Israelites forgot the Lord, they inevitably turned to wickedness and depravity and came under God's judgment. That judgment eventually resulted in the loss of their nation for over 1,800 years, beginning in 130 A.D. when Roman Emperor Hadrian renamed that nation Syria Philistinia (Palestine) after he crushed the Bar Kochba rebellion.

And so America, you can choose to continue down the path of rebellion against God by mocking his laws and violating his commandments. You can continue to murder the unborn, celebrate sexual abomination, worship at the altars of the false gods of greed, idolatry, wealth, materialism and you can continue to persecute those who worship God and refuse to plunge into your growing cesspool of sin.

Or, you can repent and turn back to the Holy God that blessed America and made her the most prosperous and free nation on earth. America; you have been cursed with a vile and wicked leader in Barack Obama. He has become God's judgment upon you for your many sins. If you choose to ignore God and his warnings, he's going to remove his blessings from you and you'll quickly become an impoverished nation that will be a tragedy of epic proportions. If you don't believe that, then look at what happened to ancient Israel when she traveled down the same path. America, it's your choice.

What it's Really All About

Mohammad Morsi and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

You can believe that the current unrest in the Middle East is related to some hack video critical of Islam and its founding prophet that's been circulating on YouTube for several weeks. Or, you can believe the truth.

The truth is that Iran is facing a military invasion either by Israel, the United States, or a coalition of the U.S., Israel and western nations that see a nuclear Iran as a danger to both the Middle East and the entire world. The U.S. and some of its allies recently sent naval ships to the Strait of Hormuz to prevent Iran from blockading that shipping lane in the event the Persian nation is attacked. Middle Eastern nations export much their oil to the world through the Strait of Hormuz and a blockade would be devastating to the global economy.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/17/us-iran-nuclear-navies-idUSBRE88G0VP20120917

In anticipation of this unavoidable military conflict, the Iranians have destabilized the Middle East through the extensive terror networks they control. The recent conflagrations in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Pakistan and Afghanistan are designed to send a powerful message to the United States that if it attacks Iran, the Persian state will retaliate by ordering Islamic terror groups to attack the U.S. and its interests all over the world. Not surprisingly, just days before violence erupted against American embassies throughout the Middle East, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad paid a visit to Egypt to meet with its newly elected President Mohammad Morsi, a longtime member of the Muslim Brotherhood which is one of the oldest terrorist organizations in the world.

Sadly, the Obama Administration, which has screwed up virtually everything it has touched, has attempted to appease the Islamic world by scapegoating a man named Nakoula Basseley Nakoula who uploaded that controversial amateur video to YouTube. Obama even sent Susan Rice, his ambassador to the United Nations out onto several major TV networks to lie for his inept administration by blaming Nakoula's video for the trouble throughout the Middle East. 

Rice's pathetic excuse that blames Nakoula for the trouble in the Middle East just emboldens Islamic fundamentalists by sending them the message that the United States won't defend its citizens or its values when it's attacked. And if you're unwilling to defend your values, then someone else will come in and impose their values on you. And that's what happening throughout western Europe and now in North America as clueless, liberal political leaders such as Barack Obama attempt to pacify Islamists through appeasement.

Ultimately, biblical prophecy reveals that the Iranians are going to be defeated by a powerful western nation which is most likely the United States. http://www.prophecyreviewonline.org/apps/articles/default.asp?articleid=71604&columnid= This was a prophecy revealed directly by the arch-angel Gabriel to the Hebrew prophet Daniel (Daniel 8) 2,600 years ago and it's about to be fulfilled. The prophecy, according to Gabriel, "concerns the time of the end", (Daniel 8:17) so this event signals that we are really getting close to the return of Jesus Christ.

But until the end does come when Christ returns, we can expect to see a lot of very serious trouble for Christians throughout the world. Biblical prophecy also reveals that Christians will face intense persecution in the end times, (Daniel 7:26, Matthew 24:9, 2Timothy 3:12, 1Peter 4:12-19) and we are seeing that being fulfilled all over the planet. Nakoula Basseley Nakoula just happens to be a Coptic Christian, so he's already gotten a taste of that persecution.

The Coming Persecution

Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, aka Sam Bacile

"In fact a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God."--John 16:2

Do you want to make an unflattering film about Islam? Even if it's some amateur flick that gets lost in the shuffle with millions of other clips on YouTube? Then be prepared to suffer a similar fate that one Nakoula Basseley Nakoula recently suffered after his amateur anti-Islam film that circulated on YouTube got blamed for inciting several devoted members of "The Religion of Peace" to attack Americans and their embassies throughout the Middle East. 

An attack in Libya resulted in the death of U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. An attack in Egypt did extensive damage to the U.S. embassy there, although no one was hurt. Not coincidentally,  the attacks occurred on September 11, the 11th anniversary of the deadly terrorist attacks that destroyed the World Trade Center in New York City and did significant damage to the Pentagon in Washington D.C. Though there is increasing evidence that the attacks were planned well in advance to coincide with 9/11, Nakoula's film got blamed for lighting the fuse of Islamic fundamentalists across the Middle East.

And so, Nakoula, who also goes by the alias "Sam Bacile" got thrown under the proverbial bus by the U.S. Justice Department that busted him for allegedly violating the terms of parole that he was on for a bank fraud conviction in 2010. According to Nakoula's parole terms, he wasn't supposed to use a computer for five years, so the anti-Islamic flick he uploaded to YouTube obviously violated his probation. But if the feds were really concerned about Nakoula's obedience to his parole terms, then why did they wait until his amateur flick became a YouTube sensation before they busted him? Evidently, Nakoula's film had been circulating the internet for several months, so the feds had ample time to bust the 55-year-old self-styled filmmaker. 

Nakoula was only arrested because his film allegedly offended the Muslim world, not because he violated his probation. Nakoula was arrested because the Obama Administration, which has a deplorable foreign policy record, was desperate to appease the Muslim world. And that's exactly why the American embassies were attacked throughout the Middle East; because Islamists realize that Barack Obama is a weak president who's unwilling to defend America's interests and values. As such, the Islamic world will use any excuse it can dredge up to attack America's interests because it knows all too well what America's response from Obama will be.

And that response will be the arrest of some nobody such as Nakoula Basseley Nakoula who never would've been arrested had his hack YouTube video turned into an obscure dud. And Nakoula's arrest is a warning to all Americans should Obama be reelected in November; that anyone who is accused of insulting Islam and its prophet Muhammad will be thrown to the dogs by the Obama Administration. Obama believes in appeasement and that never works with religious fanatics who see appeasement as the direct sign of weakness. 

Certainly, it's wrong to insult anyone's lifestyle or religion, no matter how wicked, violent or bad it may be. But America also has something called the First Amendment that protects the free speech of people such as Mr. Nakoula who has the right as an American citizen to criticize Islam or any religion he desires to denounce. And his nation has no right to deny him that constitutional right. If that offends some people then that's too bad. As Christians, we've had to tolerate our faith being bashed and maligned for ages. 

But unlike Islam, Christianity teaches us to love those who offend and persecute us rather than kill them. Christ stated: "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may sons of your Father in heaven. He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love only those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?" (Matthew 5:44-46)

The Curse of Wicked Rulers

Wicked people and wicked rulers go hand in hand. When the ancient Israelites rebelled against God by violating the the rules of his covenant he established with them through Moses, they were cursed with bad leaders. Perhaps the worst of Israel's ancient kings was Manasseh (seventh century B.C.) who angered the Lord by erecting shrines throughout Judah to detestable pagan gods that his father, King Hezekiah had destroyed.

Though the Lord warned Manasseh not to rebuild the detestable shrines, he defied God and brought down a horrible curse upon Israel that still remains to this day. Concerning Manasseh's rebellion, God revealed this to the prophet Jeremiah: "I will send four kinds of destroyers against them, (the Israelites) the sword to kill and the dogs to drag away and the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy. I will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah did in Jerusalem." (Jeremiah 15:3-4)

Why did the Lord hold the ancient Jews accountable for what Manasseh did? Because they not only tolerated his wickedness, they encouraged it. As a result, they went into captivity in 586 B.C. when Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar invaded Jerusalem, and they remained in captivity until 445 B.C. when the Persians, who had succeeded the Babylonians, finally allowed them to return home. But the curse of Manasseh has continued to plague the Jews throughout the centuries. The Jews are arguably the most hated people on earth and anti-Semitism is spreading once again all over the world.

What does any of that have to do with America and Barack Obama? Obama has become a modern day Manasseh; an extremely arrogant and wicked ruler who defies God by promoting the twin abominations of abortion and homosexuality. Through his healthcare debacle, (Obamacare) Obama has become the biggest supporter of abortion of any American president since abortion was legalized by the United States Supreme Court in 1973. And he has encouraged the homosexual lifestyle by his promotion of gay marriage, despite the fact that President Bill Clinton signed DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) into law in 1996 that recognized a legal marriage strictly between a man and a woman. Last year, Obama announced that his administration would no longer enforce that law, opening the door for cities and states to legalize same-sex marriage.

Certainly, Obama's many other sins are legion and despicable. But God holds Americans responsible for this man because they elected him to the presidency in 2008 despite his shady past that included associations with racists, communists, gangsters, terrorists and criminals. It's unconscionable that Americans would've elected someone this wicked and debased 100 years ago. But that was then and this is now. Though Obama has managed to hide much of his murky past, enough of it was known by 2008 that a true god-fearing and moral nation would've recoiled at the thought of ever electing such a repugnant man.

Unfortunately, the United States is no longer a moral and god-fearing nation. America has become a wicked nation with the blood of over 40 million aborted unborn babies on its hands; a nation that parades its sexual sin in its streets and a nation that has erected pagan shrines to the modern false gods of wealth, pleasure, sports, entertainment and materialism. As such, the United States comes under increasing judgment from the economic misery brought on by America's gargantuan debt that threatens to plunge the nation into the worst depression in its history to the increasing encroachment of militant, fundamental Islam that threatens to replace the U.S. Constitution with Sharia Law.

Yes, Barack Obama is to modern America what Manasseh was to ancient Israel. Certainly, America has no covenant with God as ancient Israel did. But the United States is still obligated to honor and obey God's laws, and not persecute its citizens who refuse to support evil when it is promoted as "freedom." And so, the balance of America's future is on the line; repent from evil and survive, or continue defying God by breaking his laws and perish. It's your choice, America. And Barack Obama has become God's warning to you concerning your survival and your future.

Doctrines of Demons

"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons."--1Timothy 4:1

Biblical prophecy warns of a great counterfeit spiritual movement that will appear on earth in the last days under the guise of revival. And this won't be any ordinary revival; it will be backed by demonic power that will manifest in supernatural phenomena that science won't be able to explain away.

That seems far-fetched given that so much of the modern world has relegated supernaturalism to myth and superstition. Millions of professing Christians certainly don't believe in miracles anymore, even though their faith was founded upon great signs, wonders and miracles. It was Christ himself who healed cripples; restored eyesight to the blind and even raised the dead. During the early days of the fledgling church, the apostles such as Peter performed incredible miracles by the power of the Holy Spirit that convinced thousands that God was real and His Son Jesus Christ was the savior of the world.

But that was then and this is now. Existentialism and Darwinism have convinced millions that God is just a myth created in the minds of primitive, ignorant men. And dead, corporate and apostate religion has turned off millions of others by denying the miraculous presence and power of God for hackneyed liturgical rituals and jaded choreographed prayers. If Christianity has lost millions of members since the dawn of the 20th Century it's because Christendom lost its faith in God and snuffed out the Holy Spirit's fire. Many modern churches have become religious mausoleums where any talk of miracles is discouraged or met by disparaging looks.

Hence, the world is ripe for deception. And the greatest spiritual deception in world history is getting close. Concerning the last days, the apostle Paul warned: "The coming of the lawless one (Antichrist) will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing." (2Thessalonians 2:9-10) Christ himself warned: "For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible." (Matthew 24:24)

What will ignite this destructive revival? Two things: (1) A world torn by war and strife that is desperately seeking a miracle-working savior who will appear and bring peace, and (2) a renewed interest by millions in the occult and supernatural. Remember that Paul prophesied that the Antichrist will make his appearance as a miracle-worker that will convince millions that he is divine. And remember that with the advent of the counterculture movement that began in the early 1960s, millions exposed themselves to the demonic through hallucinogenic drugs and eastern religious practices such as Yoga and Transcendental Meditation. Tragically, the world is unprepared for the supernatural revival that is coming and it has been primed to embrace this event when it begins.

And so has much of Christendom. Millions of Christians are biblically illiterate concerning end-time biblical prophecy and they are going to embrace this counterfeit revival as a genuine manifestation of God. Ultimately, this revival is going to lead to the Antichrist and many professing Christians will embrace this fraud as Jesus Christ when he appears. Though that seems impossible, consider the burgeoning Signs and Wonders Movement that has gained millions of adherents throughout Christendom over the past 40 years. This aberrant movement ignores biblical prophecy by teaching that Christ's return will be preceded by the greatest global spiritual revival Christianity has ever experienced. What's the basis for that belief? A scripture recorded by the ancient Hebrew prophet Joel (Joel 2:28-32) that the apostle Peter interpreted as beginning at Pentecost right after Christ's ascension to Heaven (Acts 2) rather than in the end times.

The misapplication of that scripture has already deceived multitudes of Christians. When the Antichrist appears, they will mistake him for Jesus Christ. That's a tragedy of epic proportions. And that's avoidable. What's the antidote? Knowing what the bible predicts regarding the future. Paul stated: "Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in doing so have wandered from the faith." (1Timothy 6:20-21)

When God Weeps

A victim of a saline abortion

All the bravado spewed by proponents of "Pro Choice" evaporates rather quickly when you realize what pro choice really means and you view the results of those choices. Pro Choice is a euphemism for murder; a proverbial silk dress on a very filthy pig whose ugliness can't be covered even with the best of fine cloth and linen.

Pro Choice is also a non sequitur because there really isn't any choice involved when the eventual result is murder. Choice involves making the right decision to save life rather than to condemn it behind the transparent facade of individual rights and freedom. To the ancient Jews who were about to enter the land of Israel after spending 40 years wandering in the desert, Moses explained what choice was really about: "Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)

Moses presented the ancient Jews with an ultimatum; choose life by loving the Lord and obeying his laws or suffer the consequences by ignoring the Lord and rejecting his laws. When the ancient Jews chose life, they prospered and their nation flourished. When they rejected God, they invited death and their nation suffered from war, famines and plagues. Through Moses, God warned the Jews what they could expect if they turned their backs on him: "I will heap calamities upon them and spend my arrows against them. I will send wasting famine against them, consuming pestilence and deadly plague; I will send against them the fangs of wild beasts, the venom of vipers that glide in the dust. In the street the sword will make them childless; in their homes terror will reign." (Deuteronomy 32:23-25)

If God punished the Israelites for choosing evil and rebellion over life in the ancient times, then he punishes modern nations that make those same bad choices today. For America, the infanticide of 40 million unborn babies since abortion was tragically legalized by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1973 brings this nation perilously close to her destruction. No holy God who created mankind in His very own image will tolerate the desecration of that image for very long. Sooner or later, and probably sooner, judgment will come for America and it will come hard. 

In fact, judgment has already begun for America with her descent from her superpower status among world nations. The Russians have already pushed the United States out of Eastern Europe and aim to overtake the U.S. as the dominant superpower in the western hemisphere. Recently, after a Russian nuclear Akula submarine was spotted cruising in the Gulf of Mexico close to America's shoreline, the U.S. said and did nothing, essentially embarrassed, intimidated and humiliated in their own backyard by the upstart Russians. What was the big deal about that Russian nuclear sub? It carried enough firepower to wipe out many major U.S. cities.

Certainly, the U.S. isn't the only nation on earth that performs abortions. But the U.S. is considered the de facto leader of the free world, which means that she leads not only economically and militarily, but morally and ethically as well. When the supposed most Christian nation on earth can't even protect her unborn against abortion murderers, then the end is at hand. It's no wonder why so many Islamic nations have so much contempt for Christianity when they look at how morally corrupt America has become. When a so-called Christian nation commits such mass murder against those created in the image of a holy God, then she not only mocks that God but desecrates his mercy and everything that he stands for.

And so, nations ultimately get the leaders they deserve. When a nation becomes wicked, it deserves and gets wicked leaders. President Barack Obama is the wicked leader that America has earned and he's a reflection of her wickedness; narcissistic, nihilistic, selfish, godless, callous, apathetic, dishonest and arrogant. But God has a long history of bringing down wicked nations and their wicked leaders. Certainly, he allows time for repentance. But that time isn't unlimited. Unless America repents of her corporate rebellion against God and her wickedness--and soon--that time may just about be up.

Christians and Jews

Here's what an ignorant man sounds like: "I'm Jewish. I'm not a fan of any other religion than Judaism. The worst possible allies for the Jewish state (Israel) are the fundamental Christians who want Jews to die and convert so they can bring on the second coming of their Lord."

Those are the words of Mark Alan Siegel, who is the chairman of the Palm Beach County, Fla. Democratic Party. Siegel mouthed those offensive words during the Democratic Party's convention in Charlotte, N.C. after his party reluctantly decided to include God and recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital city in its platform message after it had previously decided to omit those topics from its language. Siegel blamed the influence of Evangelical Christians within his party for the last minute switch and he showed his true liberal tolerance by blurting out a worn out stereotype that's never been true.

For the record, Evangelical Christians are Israel's closest friends. Certainly, Evangelicals want to preach the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Jews because Evangelicals are loyal to the Great Commission of Christ (Matthew 28:16-20) that commands they "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." But even beyond the Great Commission, Evangelicals and all true born-again Christians recognize that the Jews are God's chosen people and the land of Israel was given by God to them and to no one else.

Therefore, true Christians support the Jews and the nation of Israel because the Bible commands them to. (Genesis 12:3) True Christians recognize that there would be no Christianity and no salvation without the Jews because Christ came from the Jews. Furthermore, true Christians realize that when Christ returns to establish his millennial kingdom on earth, he will return as the King of the Jews and Christians and he will establish his throne in Jerusalem and no where else on earth. And so, true Christians are called to "pray for the peace of Jerusalem" (Psalm 122:6) and for the protection of the Jews and their nation from their enemies.

Like many liberal American Jews, Siegel has been taught that Christians are their worst enemies. But the worst enemy of the Jews is Islam whose god Allah hates them and has called for their annihilation. In fact, the Hadith teaches that Islamic messiah, the Imam Mahdi, cannot appear and establish his global caliphate until all the Jews have been murdered. (Sahih Muslim 5203) This is the reason why the Iranians are working feverishly to build nuclear weapons, so they can destroy Israel while killing as many Jews as possible.

Unfortunately, Siegel and his liberal Jewish comrades either can't or refuse to acknowledge that. Consider Siegel's ridiculous claim that fundamental Christians want the Jews to die and convert to Christianity so they can expedite the return of Christ. How could the Jews convert to Christianity if they were dead? And even if all the Jews on earth converted to Christianity, that wouldn't hasten Christ's return at all. Several events must take place before Christ come back such as the rise of a one-world government, the establishment of a global religion and the appearance of the dreaded Antichrist.

Ironically, liberal Jews such as Mark Alan Siegel, who have almost no interest in God and couldn't care less about Israel, become quite defensive about their religious heritage when Christians confront them with it. Perhaps that's political, or perhaps that's a manifestation of guilty conscience. Either way, biblical prophecy reveals that the Jews are in fact going to embrace Jesus Christ as Lord when he returns (Zechariah 12) and there isn't a thing that Siegel and his fellow liberal Jews will be able to do to stop that prophetic event from happening.

When Falsehood Reigns

Perhaps at no time in history has falsehood dominated the world as it does today. From President Barack H. Obama's disastrous presidency that has been shielded from scrutiny by America's utterly useless and corrupt media to Islam whose adherents promote that religion as peaceful and nonviolent, to modern education that continues to teach evolution as factual science, falsehood reigns supreme.

It was the apostle Paul who offered this revealing end-time prophecy: "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." (2Timothy 4:3)

Paul's prophecy speaks for itself. Certainly, falsehood has existed since the beginning of time. But throughout history, men have diligently sought the truth by investigating information to test whether or not that information had any valid evidence to back it up. For example, when a Catholic Monk named Martin Luther put away his religious biases and investigated the Bible, he discovered that salvation in Jesus Christ was obtained strictly by faith (Ephesians 2:8, Romans 10:9-11) rather than by works as the Roman Catholic Church taught. Hence, Luther launched what became known as the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century and his objective quest for truth helped lead millions out of Rome's darkness into eternal life in Jesus Christ.

And yet today, despite the overwhelming biblical evidence that convinced Luther that the Catholic gospel was a fraud, millions of professing Christians are returning to Rome. And despite the overwhelming evidence that Islam is a false religion that was manufactured in the mind of Muhammad during the Seventh Century A.D., nearly two billion people on earth call themselves Muslims and believe that Muhammad was a true prophet sent by God. Muslim apologists claim that the Bible was perverted by the Jews and early Christians, and God therefore commissioned Muhammad to restore his true scriptures.

But that claim doesn't have any evidence to back it up. The Koran contains numerous historical inaccuracies and factual errors that dismisses it as an elaborate fraud. For example, the Koran claims that Jesus' mother Mary was the sister of Moses and Aaron. (Sura 19:28) That's absolutely impossible unless Mary was well over 1,000 years old when she gave birth to Christ. The Koran also claims that crucifixion existed during the time of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs. (Sura 7:14) That's also false; crucifixion was a form of execution that was unknown in the ancient world until the Romans introduced it in the First Century B.C.

And furthermore, the Koran contains four conflicting accounts of Muhammad's reception of the Koran. Suras 53:2-18 and 81:19-24 claim that Allah appeared to Muhammad in the form of a man to deliver the Koran; Sura 15:8 claims that "angels" delivered the Koran to Muhammad; Sura 16:102 claims that Muhammad received the Koran from the "Holy Spirit", while Sura 2:97 claims that Muhammad received the Koran directly from the angel Gabriel.

Compare the Koran to the Bible that contains over 300 specific prophecies concerning the Jewish Messiah recorded by Israel's ancient prophets hundreds and thousands of years before Christ appeared and fulfilled them. For example, Christ's virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14) was recorded in the Eighth Century B.C. while his crucifixion (Psalm 22:16) was recorded nearly 1,000 years before he appeared on earth. And Christ's life, ministry, death and resurrection were revealed by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 53) nearly 800 years before he appeared. Unlike the Bible, the Koran contains not even a single prophecy recorded by Muhammad that can be verified and validated as having been revealed by God before it took place. Thus, the Koran is the ultimate expression of falsehood.

It was Christ who said: "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32) And that ultimate truth is this: "For God so loved the world that He gave His One and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) That's the ultimate truth that's backed by irrefutable evidence. And it sure beats the fantasy of falsehood. 

The Obamanation of Desolation

The ultimate empty suit

"Wicked men are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm."--Proverbs 12:7

Emptiness seems a likely legacy for Barack H. Obama. From legendary actor Clint Eastwood's timely depiction of Obama at the recent Republican Convention as an empty chair to the increasing reality of America's 44th president as an empty suit concerning his astonishing ineptitude; if the proverbial empty shoe fits Obama's empty persona, then Obama's empty foot and indeed his entire empty body must wear it.

Emptiness certainly isn't limited to Obama. Obama's former chief of staff, the equally empty and inept Rahm Emanuel, the current Mayor of Chicago whose city has become America's unofficial Murder Incorporated, recently offered the empty idea that Obama is to be praised for saving American automaker GM from bankruptcy in 2009. But ask the former non-union employees of GM's Delphi parts division how well that worked for them. While Obama handed millions of taxpayer dollars to the labor unions that build GM products in order to save their jobs, he literally screwed the Delphi workers out of their retirement incomes by terminating their pensions.

And so, how's that for Hope and Change? For the Delphi workers, there's little hope of recovering anything other than some small change that might still remain for the pensions they worked so hard to earn. No matter. The unions vote Democrat because they get bailed out by the Democratic Party when their companies lose millions of dollars because they build terrible products that no one wants to buy. And certainly, pie-in-the-sky companies such as Solyndra, Ener1 and Beacon Power that produce expensive green energy products that few have any use for and few can afford, become the recipients of millions of taxpayer dollars because their executives contribute handsomely to the Democratic Party.

A former pastor I was once associated with said this concerning the growing presence of evil dictators and wicked political leaders throughout the world: "Wicked people get wicked leaders after their own hearts."  America has been cursed with a terrible leader in President Barack Obama because America has earned Barack Obama. When a nation turns its corporate back on God to worship at the shrines of violence, sexual immorality, hedonism and murder, then God gives its people leaders that are a reflection of themselves; leaders with evil hearts full of sin and depravity. 

Americans may still believe that the United States is a Christian nation, and in some ways it still is. But a true Christian nation doesn't tolerate the murder of over 40 million unborn babies since abortion was legalized by the United States Supreme Court in 1973. Nor does a true Christian nation tolerate the desecration of marriage; the promotion of sexual perversion and the glorification of murder and violence through the debased and depraved Hip Hop culture. And certainly, no true Christian nation allows its religious freedoms to be steadily and stealthy wiped out by Marxists and atheists such as Barack Obama who pretend to be Christians for political purposes.

Barack H. Obama never should have been elected to the U.S. presidency. He's an empty suit who has little skills beyond campaigning. But, he's a reflection of his nation; wicked, immoral, dishonest, apathetic, corrupt, nihilistic and narcissistic. If Americans truly desire to become a Christian nation once again, they they'll have to do more than just dispose of Obama at the ballot box in November; they'll have to repent of decades of moral filth and spiritual depravity. Otherwise, they can count on getting leaders even worse than Obama if that's possible. "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (2Chronicles 7:14)

America and Israel

"I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." (Genesis 12:3)

In the ancient times, the Lord revealed a blessing and a curse concerning Israel: a blessing upon those that supported the Jewish nation and a curse upon those that opposed it. Throughout history, we've seen the curses manifest against those that threatened Israel; the curses that came upon ancient Egypt during the time of Moses when Pharaoh refused to release the Hebrews from slavery and the curse that the Lord inflicted upon Babylonian King Belshazzar for mistreating the Jews who were in captivity in his nation while mocking the true God of the universe by worshiping false pagan gods. (Daniel 5)

The Lord stripped Belshazzar of his power and he was subsequently slain by Darius the Mede who overthrew Babylon in the Fifth Century B.C. Three centuries prior to Belshazzar's fall, Assyrian King Sennacherib threatened to invade Israel with a massive army when the Lord rose up against the Assyrians and destroyed them. (Isaiah 37) Sennacherib was a violent and arrogant king who believed that no kingdom on earth could stand up to his imposing army. But when he threatened Judah, Israel's southern kingdom, King Hezekiah prayed to the Lord for protection and deliverance, and the Lord didn't disappoint. The Assyrians suffered heavy casualties--185,000 men who died suddenly and swiftly while they were poised to invade the city of Jerusalem.

Like the ancient Assyrians and their wicked King Sennacherib, modern Iran and its wicked President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has threatened to destroy Israel and take control over Jerusalem. Like Sennacherib, Ahmadinejad believes that he will succeed in destroying the Jewish nation and that no nation on earth can prevent him from annihilating Israel. While Sennacherib believed that his success came from the Assyrian gods that he believed were superior to the God of Israel, Ahmadinejad believes that Islam's god Allah will provide him with the victory over the God of Israel.

Like Sennacherib in the Eighth Century B.C., Ahmadinejad is badly mistaken and he's in for a surprise. Not only will Iran be prevented from attacking Israel, the modern Persian nation will be defeated by the United States. How do we know this? The ancient Hebrew prophet Daniel received this revelation directly from God 2,600 years ago via the arch-angel Gabriel who revealed the distant future to the Jewish prophet. (Daniel 8) Gabriel, who stands in God's presence, revealed that the Persian nation would threaten Israel and the entire world in the last days until God raised up a powerful western nation (United States) that would confront and destroy the modern Persian nation. (Iran)

But there's a caveat to America's impending triumph over Iran; the United States will then fall from her status as the world's leading superpower. (Daniel 8:8) What will cause America's downfall? The same curse that God announced to Abraham concerning those that maligned and endangered the Jewish nation. The Obama Administration has been the most hostile and reckless administration towards Israel since she became a sovereign world nation once again in 1948. Not only has the Obama Administration leaked top secret information concerning Israel's planned attack on Iran, it has arrogantly demanded that the Jewish nation stop building settlements in its own city of Jerusalem and return to its pre-1967 borders.

The land of Israel was given to the Jews by God and to no one else. Whoever threatens Israel either overtly or covertly comes under God's curse. And President Barack Obama has brought a curse down upon himself and the United States for his hostile attitude and actions toward Israel. Certainly, the U.S. will solve the Iranian problem by destroying Iran's nuclear weapons. When the Lord speaks, his will can't be thwarted by angels, men or powerful nations with weapons of mass destruction.

And when angels, men or powerful nations and their wicked leaders rise up against Israel, they will be struck down by God in their tracks. You can take that to the bank.