Look Up Fellowship "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draws near." Luke 21:28

Today's theme seems to be "deception" since every entry I've written has dealt with this topic. I wonder why that is? Yet, without stopping to consider the spiritual and theological significance of that fact (maybe that will be tomorrow's focus) I'm pleased to present Emily to you today after I just ran into her myself by pure chance online.

Let me begin by saying that I wonder if this is in any way connected to Revelation 13:14-15 that says, "And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed."

The phrase "the image of the beast" has always fascinated me especially the part about him being "granted power to give breath to" this image - whatever it is. What does it all mean exactly? I'm not quite sure, but I have a suspicion that perhaps it is refering to some form of technology that will be used for this very purpose.

How do I get to that point? Well, it is commonly assumed that the Mark-of-the-Beast is a literal mark, but that it is also a form of technology that will be used for nefarious purposes by the Antichrist and his New World Order. It is the technology that will allow people everywhere who have it the ability to buy and sell from what we're told. It may not be the most academic leap, but logic tells me that maybe another kind of cutting-edge technology will be used in a similarly evil way to fulfill another purpose. Thus, the creation of the image of the beast.

In any event, a company called Image Metrics describes itself as "Performance-Driven Facial Animation Solutions for the Digital World" The company has its U.S. Headquarters in Los Angeles (ironic that it's in "The City of Angels" given the purpose of this post) and its R&D Facility in the UK. A majority of their clients are big names in the Gaming Industry, which makes sense. However, as you'll see near the end of this video, the fact that "you can rewrite history" (as the Reporter puts it) is sure to make this application popular with non-entertainment entities dare I saw governments and individuals with a specific agenda. Watch for yourself.




Now back to Image Metrics. They specialize in CGI and their latest CG creation is Emily. Have you met Emily? Created through a partnership with USC’s Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT), the team’s primary objective was to create a completely convincing, animated computer-generated face. Here's a still photo for you that proves they've succeeded in that pursuit:


Emily is a truly monumental achievement, recreating every nuance of human facial expression, even though what you’re actually looking at is the face of a digital actor. Using ICT’s special scanning system that can capture facial details down to the individual pore, the face of actress Emily O’Brien was transformed into a digital representation of herself, which could then be entirely machine-manipulated.

A look at the promotional video reveals that you'd be hard pressed to say with certainty whether or not you were watching a live human being or a computer-animated version unless you were privy to that knowledge beforehand The clip is only 2 minutes long so be sure to watch it through to the end because the last 20 second or so is when they press a few magic buttons and give Emily some different visaul effects to illustrate the power of their new technology.




I gotta admit that I had no clue I was watching a CGI representation of an actress. Did you? Now consider for a moment all the sinister applications for this technology once it's in the wrong hands. Think about how easy it would be for anyone and any group or organization (let alone the Antichrist!) to use this technology to their advantage. The possibilities are endless!

It is imperative that we do what we can to protect that old, historical footage that has been embedded in our collective consciousness and that which has made up our national and individual identities. It's who we are.

But what can we do? Can you imagine if a nation like the United States ever decided to use this technology to alter the course of history or, at the very least, change the past? Imagine archives containing video of our Presidents being altered and the historical record being tainted. Like I said, the possibilities are endless and quite disturbing too I might add.

It's also worth noting that this project was unveiled in August of 2008 fitting our current pattern and timeline of just how strange and chaotic this world is becoming prophetically speaking lately.

Is America ripe for judgment?

Billy Graham quipped many years ago, "If God doesn't judge America He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!"

Likewise, Thomas Jefferson summed it up when he said, "I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; and that His justice cannot sleep forever."

Here's a sampling of some of the national and international news headlines from various and credible sources (with direct links to the source article) that I came across so far today that all seem to point to to the same thing.

• Feds In Desperate Dragnet To Find And Stop Terrorist October Surprise
A coast-to-coast dragnet has been launched partly in response to leads developed in the arrest of one of al-Qaida's "fixers" in the U.S., say FBI officials. They report the bureau is in a race against time to identify Pakistan-trained sleeper cells and disrupt a possible pre-election "October surprise." For the first time since 9/11, counterterrorism field agents have been authorized to spy on young Muslim men and women – including American citizens – who have traveled to Pakistan without any specific evidence of wrongdoing.



• US Steps Up Raids To Thwart al-Qaida 'October Surprise' Plot
The Pentagon has ordered that raids on suspected terrorist targets within Pakistan be stepped up to pressurise al-Qaeda leaders and distract them from preparing attacks on American targets elsewhere. "The aim is to disrupt their scope for planning and keep their leaders on the move so that it is more difficult for them to co-ordinate complicated plots," a senior US intelligence official told The Sunday Telegraph.



• More On Financial Terrorism Possibilities
U.S. government law enforcement agencies including the SEC, FBI and DOJ are on alert and are believed investigating terror and other related short selling illegal manipulation of the market place. It was reported that between August 26 and September 11, 2001, groups of speculators, including Middle Eastern country investors, some reported connected to terrorist such as Al Qaeda and the Ben Laden family, these groups were believed connected to predicting the demise of certain airline and buildings including the New York Trade Center. Still others were identified by the American Securities and Exchange Commission as Israeli citizens, who sold "short" a list of 38 stocks that could reasonably be expected to fall in value as a result of the pending 911 attacks. According to the reports these speculators operated out of the Toronto, Canada and Frankfurt, Germany, stock exchanges and their profits were specifically stated to be huge.



• Britain Conducts The Largest World War III Exercise In History
Fighter jets, infantry troops, destroyers and submarines will converge on Wales next month for one of the largest military exercises of all time. The two-week exercise – codenamed Joint Warrior – is designed to recreate a scenario in which Britain and other sovereign nations go to war against a “state-sponsored terrorist movement” – using a vast array of lethal modern weapons. Taking place between October 6 and October 16, it will provide coordinated training for all three UK Armed Services, plus forces from EIGHT allied nations. The whole of Wales has been designated as a flying area for the exercise, while so-called “managed danger area” ranges at Castlemartin and Manorbier in Pembrokeshire and Pembrey near Llanelli will be used for ground strafing, bombing and missile practice using live ammunition.



• New al-Qaida Threat: Thermobaric Bombs -- Packs Power Like Nuke, But Easier To Build, Blow Up
If this analysis of the presence of aluminum powder is confirmed, it means that terrorists with the capability can make such bombs without detection, since all ingredients are off-the-shelf. "Thermobaric bombs … may be emerging as a weapon of choice for terrorists," declared Tom Burky, an explosives expert at the Ohio-based Battelle defense research institute.



• Missouri Governor Outraged By Obama’s Gestapo Use Of Law Enforcement To Threaten, Silence Truth
  Missouri Governor Matt Blunt today issued the following statement on news reports that have exposed plans by U.S. Senator Barack Obama to use Missouri law enforcement to threaten and intimidate his critics. “St. Louis County Circuit Attorney Bob McCulloch, St. Louis City Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce, Jefferson County Sheriff Glenn Boyer, and Obama and the leader of his Missouri campaign Senator Claire McCaskill have attached the stench of police state tactics to the Obama-Biden campaign... What Senator Obama and his helpers are doing is scandalous beyond words, the party that claims to be the party of Thomas Jefferson is abusing the justice system and offices of public trust to silence political criticism with threats of prosecution and criminal punishment... This abuse of the law for intimidation insults the most sacred principles and ideals of Jefferson . I can think of nothing more offensive to Jefferson ’s thinking than using the power of the state to deprive Americans of their civil rights. The only conceivable purpose of Messrs. McCulloch, Obama and the others is to frighten people away from expressing themselves, to chill free and open debate, to suppress support and donations to conservative organizations targeted by this anti-civil rights, to strangle criticism of Mr. Obama, to suppress ads about his support of higher taxes, and to choke out criticism on television, radio, the Internet, blogs, e-mail and daily conversation about the election.

Coincidence? Still think this is all "the-sky-is-falling!" chicken little type stuff?

Now more than ever, let's pray for the continued protection of this nation and its people.

RECOMMENDED READING:
Finding Comfort Where Others Find Fear

Yesterday, I wrote about a serious and sobering topic that I think is relevant in the current political climate here in the United States. Where applicable, I provided as much hard evidence as I could so that anyone who read the piece could make their own conclusions based on the cold, hard facts and see that it wasn't simply mere speculation.

It's worth repeating - I hope I'm wrong, and if I am that's fine. God's plan for humanity is still intact, and we're exactly where we're supposed to be on His prophetic timeline. I can't change that - no one can - no matter what I or we think we know. If I'm right, well, then we're a lot closer to seeing the fulfillment of prophecy than even I think we are!

The entire purpose of this online ministry is to alert the world to those things that are taking shape on an international scale that have relevance to prophecy. If I can demonstrate to people that these things are happening exactly the way the God said that they would in the Bible thousands of years ago then maybe - just maybe - I can plant a seed a faith that the Lord will help to grow into a decision for Christ, which we all know leads to forgiveness from our sins as well as eternal salvation. That's my mission here with Look Up Fellowship.

Today, I want to draw our attention to the importance of being mindful of the deception that exists in every facet of society it seems. Satan knows his time is short and he is trying to blind us all to the truth of all that God will allow him to perform upon the world stage in the very near future. Because we know that in the end times deception will rule the day, we'll need to actively look for and then test the truth rather than simply swallowing things hook, line, and sinker.

Case in point, while I thoroughly researched each and every claim I made before publishing that piece yesterday on the very real possibility of Martial Law (so that you can trust the sources and information), I wanted to draw our attention to some examples of blatant deception that a friend pointed out to me today. I will admit to you that in light of everything that was reported yesterday when I first watched this clip I immediately believed that we had just found the coup de gras of this whole tnire thing. I was wrong.

At first glance, the YouTube video is shocking to say the least not to mention the fact that it includes mention of all the things that we know are coming upon our world. However, a closer look reveals a much sinister plot, which I can only conclude is designed to not only divert our attention from the real truth, but to also mock and ridicule those of us who are trying to be responsible citizens and hold our leaders accountable (not to mention those of us who are trying to warn people about the frigthening things that are coming upon this world very soon according to prophecy). See it for yourself.



So, we have a supposed Rep. John Haller (R-PA) presenting a bill titled HR-8791, or the Homeland Terrorism Preparedness Bill. There's only one small problem. There is no bill titled HR-8791 let alone a lawmaker by the name of John Haller - both are fictional! Furthermore, if you look in the lower right-hand side of the video you'll see a symbol where the "C" from "C-SPAN" would normally be. It's a symbol of an onion and it's a dead giveaway that this is the creation of the political satire news organization The Onion.

Ha, Ha! So, I guess the joke's on us gullible Christians who are all just a little too wacky because of our beliefs that we cling too, huh? My first feeling is embarrassment that I initially bought the lie myself, and my second feeling is one of anger. Satan won this battle with me for sure, but I know that the war has already been won (and my soul is untouchable!). Who has the last laugh now?

Anyway, it reminds me of this one time when I was in Radio Sales and I received and email forward about an Amber Alert for a missing young girl. Being the caring Christian that I was and still am, I immediately forwarded the information to EVERYONE IN THE COMPANY NATIONWIDE because my heart broke for her and her family and I thought someone might be able to help. Within minutes I had people emailing me laughing and teasing me because I had just fallen for an online prank! How people can find humor is a kidnapping is beyond me, but I digress.

My point is that Satan likes to make us Christians look like fools. If we're doing our part and aggressively trying to spread the truth about God's Word he will do ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING he can to not only discourage us (by making us feel embarrassed such as in this case), but he'll also try to discredit us with any strangers who might come in contact with us and the message we're trying to send.

The end result? These are the types of things that only breed further mistrust. That's why I encourage people to take these matters to the Lord in prayer and let Him speak to your heart about what's "true" and what's "a lie" because He will answer you. I'm sure there are those out there who will even wonder if any of the things I reported on yesterday can be trusted and taken at face value since today's example was such a convincing counterfeit. Well, I'm here to tell you that you can.

As mentioned, this particular gentleman DOES NOT EXIST and he's an actor who was hired by a political satire organization known as The Onion for the purposes of making a video that they felt was an appropriate commentary on the state of government and political awareness in this country.

Yet, what they failed to realize is what we've known about the devil and his tactics all along. The devil is in the details and his greatest weapon is deception. He is a liar. Plain and simple. Most importantly, every one of his deceptions can be effective, and this is because they all have an element of truth to them (just enough truth to make things believable).

I also believe that the good Lord in all His mercy is able to use these deceptions to get our attention as part of the whole concept of "using bad for good" in this world. Consider that for a moment.

The irony here is that even though this guy was an actor and the bill was a fake, all the things he talked about are an accurate and chilling description of what's to come in the last days.

Thus, Satan tried to use this to make others think that those of us who warn about such things are all nuts, but God used it as a reminder to keep the faith and press on because even unbelievers have these concepts on their mental grid as "potential" realities, otherwise, they wouldn't have thought of them as the scenarios to use for the production of this video.

Time is short. Now is not the time to be discouraged and to stop doing what we've been doing. We need to continue to do our part each and every day. This is simply a little bump in the road.

Let me start by stating openly that I love the Rapture Ready online ministry and thank God that He directed me to it many years ago. That website and community has played a VITAL ROLE in helping me grow in my spiritual walk with the Lord and it is clear to me that God used them to plant seeds in my heart and mind that He would make grow into a full-fledged faith soon after.

So, it is with a bit of a broken heart that I write this today.

I'm not sure what my intention is with this post. I definitely don't want to divide and/or negatively impact the Body of Christ, but I feel I must speak out about something that struck me as quite odd (and disheartening) today.

As you know, yesterday I reported on the Middle East Peace Conference in Venice, Italy and discussed why I felt it was prophetically significant regardless of the actual outcome. The magnitude of what might've been discussed there and possibly agreed to by world leaders, and the potential implications for the Church today is not lost on students of prophecy. Yet, there are some - so-called Christian organizations and communities I might add - who give the impression that this news isn't important. More on that in a moment.

My heart and mind were so heavily burdened with writing that piece that I sat down and wrote it out and didn't stop until I was done. I mention this because it's strange for me to work that way. Typically, I will begin a post and return to it several times over the course of a day, days, and/or week until I feel it is "ready" to be published. I can't explain it, but that's how this has always worked with me for some reason. Not so with yesterday's column. Like I said, it was like I felt as though I needed to report that news now and get it out there ASAP. I still find it strange that myself and the author of Discerning The Times ONLINE! are the only two people that we could find who have reported on that event.


In any case, after posting the story on this blog, I decided to do a brief summary write-up and distribute the link to the post online for others to obtain. I didn't blanket the Internet with it, but instead simply took it to Rapture Ready and figured the large audience there would also spread the word.

You can imagine my surprise when I signed in to their forums today and received the following message from an Administrator:

"Hi, Just a reminder to please read the rules of the board located at the top of the forum. We had to delete your thread on the covenant with many that you started as it was hinting at end times event dates. I also had to delete your links in your signature area. We don't allow advertisements of blogs on the board. Please review the rules and especially notice rule #11 and #15. The rules dealing with blogs, speculating on end times events, etc. thank you."

I just read this note so I'm still a little baffled and upset by it. I mean, this isn't about ME it's about THE LORD and His plan for His people! My only goal was to warn other Brothers and Sisters in Christ to open their eyes and pay attention to things that are going on right under their noses without the spotlight of the mainstream media, and not increase the number of visitors to my site so that I can make money one day off of this online ministry! I recognize that there are people out there who are just the opposite and that they are the reason why these "rules" exist and are in place, but I'm just frustrated over this.

Taking a closer look, you might share in my frustration. The so-called "advertisements of blogs" that this individual referred to consisted of my signature simply reading...


MY WEBSITES:

Look Up Fellowship
www.lookupfellowship.com

Red Letter Lessons
www.redletterlessons.com


Hardly an attempt to call all of one's attention to me and my websites rather than the Lord and the message I was asking them to read and consider.

Taking this person's advice, I also just spent some time looking into the "rules" that they suggested I read for future reference. Now I'm even more confused and upset!


1. "I also had to delete your links in your signature area. We don't allow advertisements of blogs on the board."

From "Signatures, Avatars and Profile Pictures" Section

What are signatures?
'Signatures' contain information that you want to include at the bottom of all your posts. This might include pictures, links to your site(s), quotes, etc.

http://rr-bb.com/faq.php?faq=vb3_user_profile#faq_vb3_signatures_avatars


2. "Please review the rules and especially notice rule #11 and #15. The rules dealing with blogs, speculating on end times events, etc. thank you."

[11] No End Times Date Setting, Date Speculating, Date Framing, Date Suggesting, Date Alerts, or designating specific Peace Treaties or feasts as the main event of the Rapture or Second Coming. No quoting from others on date setting future events such as the fall of Damascus, Gog/Magog, the Rapture, the Second Coming, the Millennium, Peace Covenants, feasts, etc.... or speculations on who will be the Antichrist, False Prophet, or Gog. This includes linking to sites and books that also speculate and throw out dates based upon Blood Moon, Rash Hashanah, and other events. Do not set Date Alerts and speculations that even hint of date setting. We have already heard the "know the season argument".

[14] No posts or links from other message boards, forums, or political and religious blogs on this site or posting messages here on other message boards, forums, or political and religious blogs. The mod team alone reserves the right to post links to responsible blogs when important to the discussion of particular topics. Due to the dynamic and uncensored nature of blogs, the mod team does not have the time to monitor, validate, and approve all blogs on the net. No blogs are to be posted unless they are posted by a member of the mod team.

[15] No promotion of Mid or Post Tribulation, Prewrath, Preterism, or Replacement theology. This board is traditional Pre-Tribulation Rapture, Pre 6 Seals, Pre 70th week, and Pre-Millennial Dispensational in our position of End Times Prophecy. We also believe in a literal 7 year Tribulation period, after the instantaneous Rapture of all regenerated believers in unison, during which God finishes His discipline of Israel and finalizes His judgments on the unbelieving world. We believe that as described in Revelation, that salvation will remain open to people who trust in the Lord Jesus until the Second coming. No promotion of living righteously enough for the rapture, or salvation unattainable after the Rapture. In order to stay within our scriptural position and keep order and peace, all discussions on these topics must follow suit. Our Lord Jesus Christ told us that we won't know the day or hour of His return and to always be ready keeping watch.

http://rr-bb.com/showthread.php?t=2


So, there you have it. These are 3 of the 31 "rules" that visitors must adhere to in order to simply participate in one of the largest prophecy related communities online. I wonder how anyone could possibly maintain compliance on all 31 and still be considered a regular member in good standing because you could never post anything or engage in any type of meaningful, critical discussion since you're always going to be speculating about one thing or another.

I went back an re-read my column and there was no date-setting whatsoever. Sure, I speculated that something sinister could've happened over the weekend in Venice that we have yet to learn about, but my speculation was no different than MANY OF THE OTHER THREADS in their forums - Israel Destroys Damascus, Then Russia Invades; Is this all about ready to explode?; Are We ? Now Seeing The Black Horse; Is the Antichrist A Jew?; Perhaps Today: The Imminent Coming of Christ (signs?); Bush Speech Prophetic?

And that's just the first page of that forum. Sadly, this important news gets yanked from the site within hours and yet any visitor to the Rapture Ready Home Page will be greeted by the following Google Ads Banner and Advertisement on the right hand side of the screen - God's Warning To The World!, which talks about the non-canonical divine prophecies of Saint Faustina who was a nun who claimed she received prophetic information from Jesus Christ Himself as well as seveal other prophetic "visions" of Mary.

Why the double standard? And why are all these other threads allowed to exist and continue, but the one I posted is deemed too inflammatory or in direct violation of the board's rules? Maybe my frustration shouldn't be directed so much at this particular Administrator, but at Satan and the influence he wielded in this case.

I may have lost this battle - for now - but I have freedom in Christ and He will see to it that this message falls directly into the hands of those He wants it to in His own perfect timing. I can trust that, but will continue to speak out on these news items as they happen because even though I know that that war has already been won I also know that there are many people out there who might perish if they aren't reached in time.

Lord, help me bring glory and honor to You. Please forgive me for my anger and frustration towards the people at Rapture Ready and help me to find the right avenues to use to deliver your life-saving message.

Before I begin this expose I want to note at the outset that I'm fairly certain that many people reading this will not finish the piece through to the end. I'll admit that it does all seem a little "conspiracy-theorist" on the surface and I struggled with whether or not I, as a God-fearing, Bible-believing Christian, should include stuff like this on this site. I can only pray that my personal study and subsequent presentation of this topic will not characterize me as some sort of wacko.

My goal has always been to present the facts and let others decide for themselves. Of course, I'll share my interpretation of the facts and how I see it connecting to Christianity and Bible Prophecy (why I feel this is a relevant topic for discussion here), but I am by no means an expert, a scholar, or a theologian and I hope that me merely writing about this subject matter as a Christian is not some form of heresy or blasphemy. If you disagree and feel that it is I sincerely ask my Brothers and Sisters in Christ to correct me and hold me accountable.

Simply put, I am merely one man who continues to see the many signs of Jesus Christ's soon return all around him with increasing frequency and greater intensity, and I am examining the evidence in a formal way as my attempt to understand what I am seeing in relation to what the Bible tells me will happen in the last days.

Conspiracy theorists have always claimed they have "inside knowledge" that the federal government was preparing for Martial Law in this country citing several political sources as well as various "presidential directives" and "executive orders," and they've even referenced what they claim are going to be "prison camps" (or "safe zones") in our very near future.

Whatever your stance is on such claims, I've always taken them with a grain of salt - as do most people - even despite what I know is going to transpire based on what Biblical prophecy tells us. However, today while doing some research into this financial crisis that dominates the headlines I've come across some questionable material that is making me rethink my position on the subject for a moment.

For instance, Exhibit A is a video excerpt of an interview with Jerome Corsi. If you're not familiar with Mr. Corsi you're missing out because he is one of the world's best investigative reporters and he actually backs up each and every claim he makes with some hard, undeniable evidence.

Many paint him as a "conservative" although I would argue (as we'll see in a moment) that he's non-partisan despite being famous for his involvement in the 2004 presidential campaign as the co-author to the book Unfit For Command, which was the expose on John Kerry involving the Swift Boat Veterans and he's gained similar acclaim for his expose on Barack Obama in his book The Obama Nation. In August 2006 he published Minutemen: The Battle to Secure America's Borders with Minutemen founder Jim Gilchrist. This book criticizes President George W. Bush's border protection policies, accusing him of furthering plans to create a North American Union. In March 2008 Corsi reported in WorldNetDaily that a "Muslim terrorist group with ties to criminal drug networks and al-Qaida" has given "strong support" to John McCain. In addition, Corsi has even called for the impeachment of Bush, and endorsed Constitution Party presidential candidate Chuck Baldwin.

So, needless to say, he's hardly in the pocket of the Republicans or the Bush administration.

Today, I stumbled upon this interview from 2007 that he gave to C-SPAN. It's about 10 minutes in length and worth every bit of your time, but the bottom line is this - he wanted to alert the public to a presidential directive enacted by President Bush in 2007 would allow for the institution of Martial Law due to an economic crisis. That's right!



The directive gives the President extremely broad - dare I say dictatorial - powers to determine what classifies as a "national emergency" and it allows the federal government to take control over every aspect of the functioning society.

The President can declare a national emergency, and take up all national and essential functions for continuity of the government including directing all federal, state, local, territorial, and tribal governments as well as private sector organizations, which would continuing functioning under the President's directive.

Democracy? Hardly.

Don't think Martial Law could ever happen here? Think again. Here's a quick summary of all the instances - 7 in total (5 within the last 100 years; 1 only 3 years ago) - of Martial Law being enforced within the borders of the continental United States:

1. During the War of 1812, General Andrew Jackson imposed martial law within his encampment at New Orleans, which he had recently liberated. Martial law was also imposed in a four mile radius around the camp. When word came of the end of the war, Jackson maintained martial law, contending that he had not gotten official word of the peace. A judge demanded habeas corpus for a man arrested for sedition. Rather than comply with the writ, Jackson had the judge arrested. After the civil authority was restored, the judge fined Jackson $1000, which he paid, and for which the Congress later reimbursed Jackson.

2. In 1892, at Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, rebellious mine workers blew up a mill and shot at strike-breaking workers. The explosion leveled a four-story building and killed one person. Mine owners asked the governor to declare martial law, which he did. At the same time, a request was made for federal troops to back guardsmen. Over 600 people were arrested. The list was whittled down to two dozen ring leaders who were tried in civil court. While in prison, the mine workers formed a new union, the Western Federation of Miners.

3. In 1914, imposition of martial law climaxed the so-called Coal Field Wars in Colorado. Dating back decades, the conflicts came to a head in Ludlow in 1913. The Colorado National Guard was called in to quell the strikers. For a time, the peace was kept, but it is reported that the make-up of the Guard stationed at the mines began to shift from impartial normal troops to companies of loyal mine guards. Clashes increased and the proclamation of martial law was made by the governor. President Wilson sent in federal troops, eventually ending the violence.

4. In 1934, California Governor Frank Merriam placed the docks of San Francisco under martial law, citing "riots and tumult" resulting from a dock worker's strike. The Governor threatened to place the entire city under martial law. The National Guard was called in to open the docks, and a city-wide institution of martial law was averted when goods began to flow. The guardsmen were empowered to make arrests and to then try detainees or turn them over to the civil courts.

5. Martial law and San Francisco were no strangers - following the earthquake of 1906, the troops stationed in the Presidio were pressed into service. Guards were posted throughout the city, and all dynamite was confiscated. The dynamite was used to destroy buildings in the path of fires, to prevent the fires from spreading. Troops were ordered to shoot looters. Though there was never an official declaration of martial law, the event is often cited as such. However, at all times it appears the troops took their orders indirectly from the civil authority.

6. Though not a state at the time, Hawaii was placed under martial law in 1941, following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Many of the residents of Hawaii were, and are, of Asian descent, and the loyalty of these people was called into question. After the war, the federal judge for the islands condemned the conduct of martial law, saying, "Gov. Poindexter declared lawfully martial law but the Army went beyond the governor and set up that which was lawful only in conquered enemy territory namely, military government which is not bound by the Constitution. And they ... threw the Constitution into the discard and set up a military dictatorship."

7. On 8/26/2005, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans was placed under martial law after widespread flooding rendered civil authority ineffective. The state of Louisiana does not have an actual legal construct called "martial law," but instead something quite like it: a state of public health emergency. The state of emergency allowed the governor can suspend laws, order evacuations, and limit the sales of items such as alcohol and firearms. The governor's order limited the state of emergency, to end on 9/25/2005, "unless terminated sooner."

Thus, there is not only a precedent in this country for this to occur, but also a legal document in place that would allow for it to happen again.

However, the plot thickens!



There are also reports that beginning in October (this Wednesday, October 1, 2008 to be exact), the Army plans to station an active unit inside the United States for the first time to serve as an on-call federal response in times of emergency. Yes, you read that correctly. Read the press release in full from The Army Times here at this link.

From the article:

"The 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team has spent 35 of the last 60 months in Iraq patrolling in full battle rattle, helping restore essential services and escorting supply convoys. Now they’re training for the same mission — with a twist — at home. Beginning Oct. 1 for 12 months, the 1st BCT will be under the day-to-day control of U.S. Army North, the Army service component of Northern Command, as an on-call federal response force for natural or manmade emergencies and disasters, including terrorist attacks. After 1st BCT finishes its dwell-time mission, expectations are that another, as yet unnamed, active-duty brigade will take over and that the mission will be a permanent one."

The official party line is that the threat of terrorism is prompting this unprecedented move, but others suggest that it is the country's "deepening economic crisis" and the growing "social chasm separating the country's working people from the obscenely wealthy financial elite" that is putting the willies up Washington.

Of course, this is all very fascinating given the other national and international reports of terrorists wanting to kick us when we're down. In other words, they know that our attention is squarely on the economy and they recognize that this is probably a good opportunity to strike our country again by carrying out an attack that would dwarf 9/11. In fact, chatter indicates that they've even targeted October 7, 2008 as the day make their plans a reality as evidenced by the above link.

As if that weren't enough to get your heart racing and your blood boiling, here's a YouTube video clip of House Representative Michael Burgess from Texas speaking on the bailout proceedings, how the Democrats are backing Bush, and how Nancy Pelosi declared Martial Law! I wouldn't believe it for myself unless I saw this and heard it with my own ears. This speech was given last night, and yet I can't find anything about this in the mainstream news. Strange?



In fair and balanced reporting, however, I must concede that this is a mere coincidence perhaps and simply a case of the types of language and procedures that are used in this political arena that we are not privy to. I say this because a similar thing happened in 2006, "The Leadership apparently intends to use a process known as 'martial law' to allow these bills to be brought to the floor very shortly after negotiations are completed, with the result that Members of the House are likely to have virtually no time to examine and consider the details of the legislation before they will be required to vote on it." Apparently, the House leadership can invoke "Congressional Martial Law," which is to say that they can force members to vote on key bills WITHOUT full knowledge of what they are voting on. In effect, this prevents the lawmakers, citizens, and media from fully reviewing a proposal and from knowing exactly what provisions are included in a proposal that could potentially be approved.

Sure, this might not be the type of martial law that results in tanks down Main Street, but it still represents an erosion of the democratic process, and that in and of itself should set off bells and whistles that something is not right here.

There are some additional interesting common threads here that I cannot deny seem to make this concern all a little more plausible. One such example is when John McCain spoke to the National Urban League in early August 2008, and an audience member asked him how he planned to reduce urban crime. His response? He praised Rudy Giuliani's efforts as Mayor of New York City before invoking the military's tactics in Iraq as the model for crime-fighting:

MCCAIN: "And some of those tactics - you mention the war in Iraq - are like that we use in the military. You go into neighborhoods, you clamp down, you provide a secure environment for the people that live there, and you make sure that the known criminals are kept under control. And you provide them with a stable environment and then they cooperate with law enforcement, etc, etc." You can listen to the audio here.

Even I have to admit that this all seems rather suspect. I mean, the timing of all these major events being so close together seems strange. Does the government know something that we don't know? Are they expecting an attack and/or Martial Law? Isn't this what the National Guard is supposed to do instead of the U.S. Army? On the surface, this is all absolutely absurd. Have there been any riots lately? Any civil unrest? ANYTHING that would warrant the training and deployment of an Active Duty Infantry Unit on U.S. soil?

When you combine these facts with all the other prophetically-relevant news headlines from around the world today (i.e. extreme weather; Russia's actions; Iran-Israel conflict; world economy; CERN; increased paranormal/supernatural activity in the form of "ghosts" and "aliens/UFO's"; recent peace conference in Venice; etc.) how can we collectively turn a blind eye to what my be on our doorstep?

I haven't put on my tin foil hat just yet, but my tin foil antenna is certainly up and receiving transmissions. Keep your eyes and ears open and do your own investigative reporting if you don't want to take my word for it (Google makes that quite easy these days). Examine the evidence for yourself and use your God-given brain to make your own conclusions. At the very least, you have just been given a recipe for success during another vital presidential election season.

Stay alert. Keep looking up.

***UPDATE 12/19/08: IMF Warns Of Economic Riots, Police Ready For Civil Unrest Paulson discussed worst-case scenario at bailout meeting – declare Martial Law***

RECOMMENDED READING:
Finding Comfort Where Others Find Fear

Did the unthinkable happen right under our noses and with barely a mention of it from the international press? Perhaps. The more likely scenario is that we are seeing the final chess pieces being moved into position for what Satan thinks will be a spiritual checkmate.

In what could be the biggest prophetically relevant story to come out in recent days (amazing considering everything else that's going on in this world!), Discerning The Time ONLINE! is reporting that Italy held a Middle East peace conference in Venice from September 22-September 27!

That headline alone should set off bells and whistles in every student of prophecy given what God and the Bible has to say about the antichrist's rise to power, but check out some of the terminology being used in the news article and then compare that to what Scripture says - truly remarkable!

QUOTE: "'Let's make peace in the Middle East. Let's rebuild hope' is the slogan of the peace conference to be held in Venice."

BIBLE: "And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue. With the force of a flood they shall be swept away from before him and be broken, and also the prince of the covenant. And after the league is made with him he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people. He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, spoil, and riches; and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but only for a time." Daniel 11:21-24


Daniel prophesied of the Antichrist that there "shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue" (Daniel 11:21). He is described here as a "vile person" because God knows he is, but it would seem that he is going to be quite a popular leader as far as the peoples of the world are concerned.

Exactly what it means about not giving him the honor of royalty remains to be seen, but in today's world royalty and monarchy grow increasingly unpopular. So perhaps it just means he is confirmed as a leader without giving him an appellation of royalty, such as king, but that he rules as an absolute ruler in the style of ancient kings. It appears he doesn't use violence to achieve his initial aims, and therefore would probably present himself as a promoter of international peace. But whatever his platform, he achieves his aims through intrigue.

The King James Version of the Bible uses the term "flatteries" in the place of "intrigue." This is also appropriate as it shows that he uses his considerable charm to flatter and weasel his way into power.

In the early stages of the Antichrist's regime, everything will appear to be going well. He'll be trying to make everybody happy, and will somehow manage to bring peace to many parts of the world. He will seem to be the smartest man who ever lived, with the greatest power and the greatest wisdom, able to solve intractable problems, stop all wars, and put everybody to work building peace.

"Peace and safety" will be a slogan of his government and the general populace. "Everything's going to be peaceful and safe now. No more wars. Everything's going to be secure. Everybody's going to have plenty"(1 Thessalonians 5:3). And despite some setbacks and troubles, initially it will seem to be true!

QUOTE: "The aim of the conference is to strengthen and extend the engagement of European authorities in promoting the success of the peace negotiations.

BIBLE: "And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." Daniel 9:27

Oh yeah, it gets even more surreal than that! You know how the Bible talks about the "ten kings" of Revelation 17 in the end times? Well, a casual look into news about this conference online brought me to some rather fascinating information about the history of Venice itself, which leads me to consider that perhaps this location wasn't chosen by accident for this particular summit. In other words, as with all things, there's a spiritual connection. Please continue reading the next section and make your own final judgment.

The "Council of Ten" was a Venetian political organization in the 14th century. Alongside the Great Council and Senate stood the Council of Ten. In 1310 Baiamonte Tiepolo and other nobles had sought to seize power from the dominant faction in the Great Council. It was after the suppression of this conspiracy that the Great Council created the Council of Ten, armed with exceptional powers. To counter any attempts at sole personal rule, the Council of Ten was established to police the patrician order and defend the existing regime.

The Council of Ten, or simply the Ten, was, from 1310 to 1797, one of the major governing bodies of the Republic of Venice. Although its actions were often secretive, it was generally considered to be fair and effective by the citizens of the Republic. It was intended as a temporary response to the revolt led by Bajamonte Tiepolo against the Doge, and was given emergency powers to deal with the resulting unrest. Although originally established for a period of two months, its authority was continuously renewed, until it became a permanent body in 1334.

The Council was formally composed of ten members, elected for one-year terms by the Great Council. Members of the Council could not be elected for two successive terms, nor could two members from the same family be elected simultaneously. Leadership of the Council was vested in three Capi, who were elected from among the ten members for one-month terms, and the Council was formally tasked with maintaining the security of the Republic and preserving the government from overthrow or corruption, however, its small size and ability to rapidly make decisions led to more mundane business being referred to it, and by 1457 it was enjoying almost unlimited authority over all governmental affairs.

Did you catch that? Does anyone else find all of this history of the Council of Ten - specifically their structure, term limits, and power - interesting terminology and facts in relation to Christianity, the Bible, and prophecy?

Perhaps it's simply a case of me wanting to find a connection so I encourage you to make your own conclusions based on the evidence. Yet, we all know that Satan will try to mimic (as a form of mockery) anything to do with God and His plan for humanity, with specific attention given to the Holy Trinity and the Second Coming.

With that in mind, I am very intrigued by the fact that the "leadership of the Council was vested in three Capi" (a counterfeit Holy Trinity?), that they "were elected from among ten members" (a reference to the future Ten Kings of Revelation 17?) "for one-month terms" (which is eerily close to Scripture's description of "And he shall confirm the covenant with the many for one week" in Daniel), and "it was enjoying almost unlimited authority over all governmental affairs" (a reference to the revived Roman empire that will function as the one-world government in the last days?).

As if that weren't enough to get your heart racing on this subject consider the following coup de gras.

I also found out about something called the Venice Declaration from back in 1980. This was another worldwide diplomatic effort to generate peace in the Middle East. One of its stated goals included the following: "On the bases thus set out, the time has come to promote the recognition and implementation of the two principles universally accepted by the international community : the right to existence and to security of all states in the region, including Israel, and justice for all the peoples, which implies the recognition of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people."

Could this past week's peace conference be the one we've been watching for? Could it be the one which the future antichrist confirmed, since the existing framework for peace in the Middle East was already in place from a 1980 agreement? Did he confirm a covenant with the many!?!

Stay tuned, as I try to find some additional information on the outcome of this conference and report on the potential implications and ramifications for all of us Believers in Christ.

Look up!!!

A look back at the news stories/commentaries from this past week that have prophetic implications...

• Coming Soon: One World Currency
• The Green Bible?
• More One-World Thinking: European Commission Calls for "Universal" Broadband
• Do You Know What The Bible Says About Goliath-Like Giants In The End Times?
• Mobile Biometrics: The Future of Mobile Law Enforcement
• Once Again, The Wolf Is At The Door
• YouTube: The War On God In America
• Russia May Launch Nuclear Cooperation With Venezuela: Putin
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Some of you may be wondering why I've given so much time here to the current financial woes of the United States and its cascading effect on the world.

Obviously, I personally believe that this is prophetically significant for many reasons. We may not know the exact circumstances as to how all the things foretold in the Bible will come about. However, it's not that hard to look at the facts and make some educated guesses.

In any event, yesterday's post about how we were warned well in advance that the economy was on the verge of chaos and collapse was included here to sort of resonate with this whole study of prophecy.

The point is this - often times there are MANY signs all around us that precede the actual event that they're alluding to; we simply refuse to acknowledge them for what they are.

I'm praying that if you haven't given this whole God, Jesus, Bible, Christianity and prophecy thing much thought that perhaps now you will. The signs are everywhere my friends! In a sense, you could call these the signs to salvation if they'll lead us to a belief in Jesus Christ.

Let's not make the same mistake we made when we were warned about the impending doom concerning our economy!

If you haven't already, get yourselves right with our Lord and Savior and focus on what's truly important from this point forward.

And by all means, keep looking up!

Here's a quick follow-up to the recent posts documenting the worldwide chatter concerning the potential move to a one-world currency in an attempt to cure the global financial crisis.

This is a video compilation of all the warning signs that surrounded us that we ignored - clearly the signs were all around us. It was posted back in March 2008 and is looking rather prescient at the moment.



For everyone who thought Ron Paul was a little nutty with many of the things he talked about during the primaries it's clear that he was the only one who made any sense because he was willing to tell us the truth and tell it like it is.



With Monday morning looming as the deadline for our lawmakers to pass some sort of resolution before the sky falls and things get even worse I can't help but to continue to think that all of this is going exactly as planned and described in the Bible.

I mean, a one-world government with a one-world currency and one-world religion needs to start sometime, right? Perhaps we're witnessing this transformation before our very eyes.

The question is whether or not we will recognize all the signs around us and begin looking up.

This entire online ministry was created with the sole purpose of not only sharing the Gospel, but to also alert the world to the many prophetic signs that are all around us pointing to the imminent unfolding of what the Bible calls the last days for mankind.

In fact, the very name of this ministry was derived by Jesus' own instruction to our generation when He said, "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draws near" Luke 21:28.

Friends, things are beginning to unfold at an alarming rate and it seems as though not a single day goes by anymore without something major happening to tell us where we are on God's prophetic timeline. As documented many times, the key to all of this is to closely watch the tiny state of Israel since they are God's prophetic timepiece.

That being said, let's take a quick look at the following list of news headlines from the past few weeks to tell us just how close we are courtesy of Lamb & Lion Ministries...

Life as we know it is about to radically change.

As you and I watch world events unfold, especially during this past week, end-time prophetic scenarios now appear ready to begin. Scriptures often tie a prophesied future event with something that will happen directly to the Jews, and all instances of these world events will directly affect Israel.

Events and outcomes:

1. The United States is sadly on the brink of bankruptcy and a second Great Depression. With the loss of income comes the loss of political and military power. Because of that and depending on the outcome of the current presidential election, Israel would lose the United States as an ally and protector. Israel will be on its own.

2. A U.S. financial meltdown would throw much of the world into financial suffering, resulting in world-wide poverty and famine. Countries all over the world already have hurriedly begun calling for a change from the dollar to a one-world currency and an overall world organization to manage it.

3. Israel is in a disarrayed leadership vacuum. The front-runner for Prime Minister wishes upon taking power to immediately give over a lot of land to their enemies, making Israel almost indefensible.

4. Syria, Lebanon, Gaza and other terror-supporting nations have rearmed and are ready to invade Israel. Syria's already moving troops along its border.

5. Russia roared out of the background to consolidate their interests from Moscow through Georgia and all the way into Syrian ports. They are reaching for the Middle East oil fields and Israel. Then we also read about Russia sending warships on military exercise in America's 'backyard' as New Cold War intensifies.

6. Iran and Russia have solidified their political ties. Iran is only months away from being nuclear-armed, ready to act on their promises of annihilating Israel.

All these world events will force Israel to act in the upcoming months. Israel will be forced either into a Psalm 83 scenario where they are under siege and forced to use maximum force against their surrounding neighbors. Or, Iran will follow through on its threats and with the help of Russia fulfill the Ezekiel 38-39 scenario of the Gog-Magog invasion. It will probably be both, one closely after another.

Unless God intervenes and delays what is prophetically inevitable, the world scene appears to be ready for the 7-year Tribulation; a time Jesus said will be "such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall." In fact, Jesus said it will be so terrible that if it were not stopped at the end of 7 years, it would result in the destruction of all life (Matthew 24:21-22).

For the believer in Christ, this life change may mean some suffering in the short term, but believers will be spared God's wrath and the Tribulation by first being taken up to be with Jesus in heaven (John 14:1-4; Romans 5:9; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9).

Because the Rapture of the Church looks so close, we're releasing the text version (below) of a video we're working on titled "Jesus Came. What's Next?" It is Lamb & Lion's message to those left behind. I encourage you not only to forward this e-newsletter and download as many copies as possible to give out to those you know haven't accepted Jesus as Savior, but also to use it as a "left behind" message using You've Been Left Behind.

Our waiting is almost over. Jesus is coming back to reign!

To that report I would like to conclude with the following - LOOK UP!!!

I received this email from Huck PAC yesterday on the current financial mess and felt it was worth sharing in its entirity. Makes me remember why I supported Mike Huckabee for President a few months back...

Dear Huck PAC Family,

I ask 2 things of you right now:

First, read this email completely. I’m including my thoughts on the “bailout bill,” and I believe you will find them of interest. Second, if you agree with what I have to say, support my efforts at Huck PAC so we’ll continue to have a strong voice and we’ll have the capacity to support conservative candidates all across the nation who will stand and fight for our conservative principles…especially in times of crisis like we are facing as a nation today.

Frankly, I’m disappointed and disgusted with my own Republican party as I watch them attempt to strong-arm a bailout of some of America’s biggest corporations by asking the taxpayers to suck up the staggering results of the hubris, greed, and arrogance of those who sought to make a quick buck by throwing the dice. They lost, but want the rest of us to cover their bets so they won’t be effected in their lavish lifestyles as they figure out how to spend their tens of millions and in some cases, hundreds of millions in bonuses and compensation which was their reward for not only sinking their companies, but basically doing the same to the entire American economy.

It’s especially disconcerting to see the very people who pilloried me during the Presidential campaign for being a “populist” and not “understanding Wall Street” to now line up like thirsty dogs at the Washington, D. C. water dish, otherwise known as Congress, and plead for help. I thought these guys were the smartest people in America! I thought that taxpayers like you and I were similar to the people at the U. N. who have no translator speaking into their headset - that we just needed to trust those that I called the power bunch in the “Wall Street to Washington axis of power.”

The idea of a government bailout in which we’d entrust $700 billion to one man without Congressional oversight or accountability is absurd. My party or not, that is insanity and I believe unconstitutional.

Will there be far-reaching consequences without some intervention? Probably, but we honestly don’t know since we’ve really never seen this level of greed and stupidity all rolled into one massive move. But may I suggest that letting “Uncle Sugar” step in and bail out the billionaires who made the mess will be far worse and will start a long line of companies and individuals who will demand the same of the government - which last time I checked means that they will be demanding it out of YOU and ME. This is not money that Congress is risking from THEIR pockets or future, but ours. Many if not most of us have already experienced lost value on our homes, retirement accounts, and pensions. Now they’d like for us to assume some further risks so they won’t have to.

What happened to the “free market” idea? Is that only our view when we WIN and when we LOSE, we ask the government to come in and take away the pain? If you are a small business owner, is this the way it works at your place? When you have a bad month, a bad year, or face having to close, can you go up to Congress and get them to write YOU a fat check to take away your risk?

Some of what contributed to this disaster is too much government in the form of Sarbanes/Oxley. Some is due to the tax structure that created the hunger for companies to “game” the system. Some is the common sense that was ignored like loaning money to people who can’t pay it back.

Wall Street has become Las Vegas east, but at least in Vegas, people KNOW they are gambling and they don’t expect the government to cover their losses at the tables. In Wall Street, they do. And the American taxpayer burdens the responsibility.

If Congress wants to do something, here are some suggestions:

1. Eliminate ALL capital gains taxes and taxes on savings and dividends right now. Free up the capital and encourage investment. This is the kind of economic stimulus the Fair Tax would bring and if Congress is going to lose money, let them lose it with lower taxes, not with public dollar bailouts of private market mistakes.

2. Repeal Sarbanes/Oxley. It has failed. It was supposed to prevent this. It didn’t. Kill it.

3. Demand that the executives who steered their ships into the ground be forced to pay back the losses of their companies. Of course, they can’t, so let them work and give back to the government and they can live like the people they put on the streets or kept there. It makes no sense to put them in jail - that’s just more they will cost you and me. I’d rather them go out and earn money - just not get to keep so much of it this time. I’m not talking about limiting CEO salaries - just those of the people who now are up in Washington begging for help because they ruined their companies.

Attempts by Democrats and Republicans to blame each other is nonsense. They are both guilty and ought to own up and admit it. They all lived off big campaign contributions and the swill of the lobbyists who strong armed them into permission to steal. Enough of blame. Fix it!

This would be a start. If we don’t hold these guys responsible, we are all finished.

Your support today will send a strong message to our Party Leadership in Washington that we are fed up with “business as usual!” And it will give us the resources to support strong conservative candidates who are campaigning hard for election this November.

Those folk who share our beliefs and who will fight…not bail…on our principles. Please make an immediate contribution of $25, $50, $75, $100 or more to help make certain that the “business as usual” of Washington politics stops in January.

Thank you for your continued support and God Bless.

Mike Huckabee

In the last post we documented the abhorrent practice of religious persecution going on in many parts of the world. That got me thinking that there may be some people out there who wonder to themselves, "If the Gospel is prevented from being preached then how can those who have never heard it be saved?"

It's a fantastic question and I believe that the answer to this question is equally amazing for us to think about and consider.

In many countries, the Gospel can't be shared freely. Repressive governments and religions stop Christians from telling others about Jesus. However, God is mightier than oppression. Where human messengers can't carry the good news, the Lord is revealing Himself to those whose hearts are open.

First, 1 Timothy 2 says God wants everyone to come to a saving knowledge of Him. Romans 1 shows He is holy and just, but He can't overlook man's sinful condition, which renders all guilty and without excuse. He will not admit people into heaven unless they've acknowledged their need for a Savior.

But, our Father is also fair and merciful.

He makes His presence known to every person so each one may choose to recognize His sovereignty. The Lord does this by revealing Himself to all mankind in 2 ways: through conscience and creation.

First, He has imbedded His basic moral guidelines in the human conscience. In other words, at some point in life, every sane person has an innate sense that certain actions are right and others are wrong.

Second, the Creator displays His power and divine nature through what He has made. The complexity, variety, order, and beauty of the world all point to an intelligent Designer.

Surely, we can't pinpoint every method the Lord uses to reveal Himself. Yet, we can be sure nothing will stop Him from reaching out to people who follow conscience and creation to the logical conclusion… the existence of a loving, sovereign God.

RECOMMENDED READING:
Romans 1:18-25

What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of religious persecution? Contrary to popular belief, even in the 21st century people across the globe are continually persecuted (often times in such horrible ways that can even result in death!) for their religious beliefs.

Darfur. China. Typically, we tend to think of oppressive countries like those as being the worst when it comes to violating basic human rights. We can now add India to that list too. As reported in a recent column by Chuck Colson, the largest democracy in the world is seeing some of the most horrific persecution of Christians is taking place in its state of Orissa, India.

The article goes on to document a truly grim situation...

"On August 23, a Hindu nationalist known as 'Guruji' was shot to death along with four of his followers. While Guruji had many enemies and was mostly likely killed by Maoist guerillas, a local newspaper blamed Christians for his death. The result was a wave of anti-Christian violence that has killed at least 25 people, burned at least 50 churches, and destroyed at least 4,000 Christian homes.

Even more shocking than these numbers is the savagery of the attacks. There are reliable reports of priests being burned alive and nuns being raped. Hindu fanatics were caught trying to poison the water supply at a camp set up for Christians fleeing the violence.
A special target of the Hindu nationalists are former Hindus, especially Dalits, who have converted to Christianity. As Indian journalist Anjalee Lewis has written, the violence against Christians is 'linked to the empowerment of the Dalits and tribals.'

Conversion and education has provided them with 'dignity' and 'freedom from oppressive traditions of caste-based discrimination and slavery.' This, in turn, has prompted a violent response from 'dominant castes, who could no longer rely upon them for cheap farm labor or bonded labor.' The result, according to Archbishop Raphael Cheenath, is a campaign 'to eliminate Christians from Orissa.'"

If you’re wondering where the Indian government is in all this, the answer is, on the sidelines - at best. Thus, the only hope for Christians in Orissa and other parts of India is pressure from overseas. At the very least, you need to write or call your Congressman or Senators to alert them to what’s going on in India. But most of all, pray for our persecuted Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Get your church involved in the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, which comes up on November 9.


Sadly, religious persecution isn't reserved for some distant and far away land, but it is also being practiced here in the United States. So much for freedom of religion.

Recent headlines report that 5 Virginia state police chaplains have lost their jobs because they were censored from praying publicly “in Jesus’ name.” How absurd is that?

Virginia state police Col. W. Steven Flaherty created and then enforced a strict "non-sectarian" prayer policy at all public gatherings. The policy forbids chaplains from praying “in Jesus’ name.” The policy was adopted to keep from offending anyone. The 5 chaplains who refused to deny Jesus resigned rather than violate their conscience by watering down their prayers.

Their chaplains. Praying in Jesus' name is part of their job description and way of life. Is anyone else simply mind-boggled by the absurdity of the world today? Up is down, black is white, and right seems to be left. Deception rules the day!

Still, despite the beginning signs that religious persecution is beginning to take root in this country, compared to other countries we have it good. And yet our Bibles, which contain the living and life-changing Word of God, sit on a bookshelf collecting dust.

In many countries, the Gospel can't be shared freely. As I've just documented, repressive governments and religions stop Christians from telling others about Jesus.

It's frightening to think that this is only the tip of the iceberg since Jesus warned us that things would get much worse in the end times. In fact, during the Tribulation all the saints who proclaim faith in Jesus Christ (those who reject worshipping the antichrist) will be hunted down and murdered - beheaded actually.

Please pray for our persecuted brethren - everywhere.

RECOMMENDED READING:
US Report: Rise In Violence Against Messianic Jews And Christians

I just love reading news stories like this one today. Ok, not really, but I'm sure many of you will be shocked to learn that the government is using our tax dollars on experiments and projects that should be left to the movies let alone the far corners of our imaginations.

I guess it's not enough for them to simply use our hard-earned money to bail out those companies and individuals that made irresponsible economic decisions, but I digress.

Yet, here were are reading about DARPA (a super-secret research agency of the U.S. Department of Defense that often dabbles in far-out technologies) at it again. This time they're soliciting innovative research proposals in the area of Casimir Effect Enhancement.

Traveling through wormholes, time machines and hovering landspeeders are the stuff of science fiction novels. Nevertheless, scientists have suggested that the quantum mechanics of something called the Casimir Effect can be used to produce a locally mass-negative region of space-time, a phenomenon that theoretically could be used to stabilize a wormhole to allow faster than light travel.

In other words, for many years the Casimir Effect was little more than a theoretical curiosity. With the advances in micro- and nanotechnology and the fact that the Casimir force affects nanoscale devices such as NEMS, research in detecting and manipulating this mysterious force has generated substantial interest.

Yes, you read all of that correctly. Science fiction is quickly becoming science fact. What's amazing to me is how all of this research is being done and all this money is being spent right under our noses and we barely acknowledge any of it.

I'm sure there are many people who will just shrug their shoulders and wonder what all the fuss is about. Even so, you have to wonder about such things. I mean, just because we can think of doing something doesn't mean we should actually attempt it.

Who knows what all of this research and eventual technology could lead to. Sure, the scientists working on these projects (as well as those who want to secure more funding) will try to tell us that their work could lead to some of the greatest scientific brekathroughs in history and that they may even lead to cures for major diseases.

However, we all know that there are always two sides to every coin and before we're so quick to throw the weight of our full support (not to mention our wallets) behind such things we better be damn sure we're not investing our future in the devil and opening his pandora's box in the process.

RECOMMENDED READING:
Nanotechnology, The Mysterious Casimir Force, And Interstellar Spaceships