SIGNS of THINGS to COME?

Good morning, blog readers, from sunny, clear and balmy (83 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw: 39 robins, 5 doves, 3 cardinals, 3 deer, 2 red-winged blackbirds, 2 bunnies, a dog and Bob! Thank You, Jesus!

Yesterday and today there has been some interesting and, perhaps prophetic, earthquake activity in Tofino, Canada in the Vancouver Island Region and parts of northwestern California. Stay tuned!

Let me remind you that the USGS has been watching these areas for years for the “big one” which could happen at anytime and not only cause major damage to buildings, but also the loss of many lives. And, did you know that, almost 2,000 years ago, Jesus, in Matthew 24:7 and Mark 13:8, told His disciples that one of the “signs” leading up to His return would be “earthquakes in various places?” But, get this, Dr. Luke (my favorite gospel writer) added one very important word to Jesus’ quote, saying, “there will be ‘great earthquakes’ leading up to His return. And, get this, the USGS (United States Geological Survey) has labeled any quake over 8.0+ on the Richter Scale as a “great earthquake!” If you want to see what these will be like, go to Revelation 6:12-14, 11:13, 16:18-21.

So, dearly beloved in Christ, watch for the “greats” to increase in frequency and intensity, as we get closer to the Lord’s return. And, if you are not a believer in Jesus, c’mon now, simply agree with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) and believe He died on a cross for your sins, was buried and raised from the dead (I Corinthians 15:1-4) to forgive all your sins and give you eternal life (John 3:16). And, if you do, I’ll see you in heaven,. In the meantime, watch, wait, work, witness for, walk with and worship Jesus until He comes. Love, Doug (7/4/24)

CRISIS in the AMERICAN CHURCH!

Good morning, blog readers, from mostly cloudy and warm (68 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw: 15 robins, 4 deer, 2 dogs, a bunny and a dove! Thank You, Jesus!

This headline, from The Roys Report, sadly got my attention this morning: “Why the American Church is in Crisis.” One of my favorite writers, Julie Roys wrote: “The American church is in crisis. After numerous scandals, distrust in the church is at an all-time high. Young people raised in the church are leaving at an alarming rate. And, in a society where loneliness and spiritual hunger are rampant, people are turning elsewhere for help.

In this edition of the Roys Report, I welcome Skye Jethani for a wide-ranging discussion on the crisis in the American church. Skye, a former editor at Christianity Today and former pastor, has for years co-hosted The Holy Post, a popular podcast. Recently, Skye wrote the provocatively book titled book, ‘What If Jesus Was Serious About the Church?’ In it, he looks at what the Bible really says about the church, then compares that with some of the prevailing beliefs and values popular in the church today.

For example, the church is commonly referred to in Scripture as a family – but, in modern America, it’s become a corporation. In its pursuit of expansion, influence and power, the church has sadly lost the essential Christian values of faith and love. Skye writes: “Rather than feeling like valued members of God’s family, today, many church members feel like replaceable cogs in a ministry machine. Is it any wonder that the church is suffering? And, is it any wonder that people are leaving?” For more information or to listen to the whole report, please visit JulieRoys.com/podcast.

As many of you know, I have been studying earthquakes for some time, mainly because Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 24:7, Mark 13:8, and Luke 21:11 that, one of the signs leading up to His return would be “earthquakes in various places.” Now, I may be way off base, but, over the last 24 hours, according to the USGS, there were 19 “mostly minor” earthquakes in 8 different states ( Alaska (5), Texas (5), Hawaii (3), Oklahoma (2) and one each in California, Idaho, Nevada, and New Mexico. So, stay tuned to see if they will increase in “frequency and intensity” like “birth pains,” as Jesus said they would in Matthew 24:8.

So, let me ask you: “Do you know Jesus as your Savior and Lord?” Have you agreed with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) and believed He died on a cross for your sins, was buried and raised from the dead (I Corinthians 15:1-4) to forgive all your sins and give you eternal life (John 3:16). If you have, you are on your way to heaven. If not, you are on your way to hell. Please know I am praying I’ll see you in heaven. Love, Doug (7/3/24)

ARTONDALE & ISRAEL!

Good morning, blog readers, from rainy and warm (69) degrees Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I started out in the rain, went home when I saw some lightning nearby, headed back out when the lightning stopped and saw: 30 robins, 8 red-winged blackbirds, 5 doves, 4 bunnies, 2 red cardinals, a crow, a deer, a dog and a squirrel! Thank You, Jesus!

Now, if you’re like me, you probably had never heard of Artondale before. It is a small city in Washington State and where you might have guessed, over the last 24 hours, there were 2 “very minor” (2.5) earthquakes.” So, you might ask, “What’s the big deal about a couple of “very minor” earthquakes in Washington State. Well, I’m glad you asked. The “big deal” is that Artondale is not too far from the Vancouver Island Region where seismologists have been expecting a “big one” for years. You might also be interested to know that, also over the last 24 hours, there was a “minor (3.1) quake, 4 km, ENE of Little America, Wyoming.

And, speaking of “Little America,” there was this sad, but maybe prophetical, headline from Fox News: “The Biden administration has held up transfers of seven weapons systems to the Jewish state, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Shannon Bream on the program Fox New Sunday.”

Now, I am well aware that many of the Jews today still have not believed in Jesus as their Messiah and Savior. In fact, according to Zechariah 13:7-9, only one third of the Jews will enter into the kingdom when Messiah Jesus returns to the earth to set up His kingdom. How sad! And, if you are a Jew without Jesus as your Messiah, you can change that right now by agreeing with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) and believe He died on a cross for your sins, was buried and raised from the dead (I Corinthians 15:1-4) to forgive all your sins and give you eternal life. And, if you do, I’ll see you in heaven! Love & prayers, Doug (7/2/24)

OBLITERATING WAR?

Good morning, blog readers, from sunny and cool (52 degrees) where, on my morning walk, I saw (as best as I could remember because I lost my pencil): 51 robins, 8 crows, 3 cardinals, 2 bunnies, 2, 2 deer and 2 finches! Thank You, Jesus!

This recent (6/29/24) headline, from the Times of Israel, really caught my eye this morning: “Iran’s UN mission threatens ‘obliterating war’ if Israel launches Lebanon offensive.”

In the article, the TOI Staff and Reuters reported: “Iran’s mission to the United Nations said on Friday that if Israel embarks on a ‘full-scale military aggression’ in Lebanon against Hezbollah, an ‘obliterating war will endue.'”

The warning came after the Israel Defense Force attacked several Hezbollah positions, in response to the Iran-backed terror group’s latest barrage on northern Israel hours earlier, amid escalating tensions on the Lebanese border.

Writing on X on Friday, the Iranian UN mission said that if Israel were to launch a war on Hezbollah, ‘all options, including the full involvement of all resistance fronts, are on the table.” Foreign minister Israel Katz responded on Saturday on X: “If Hezbollah does not cease its fire and withdraw from southern Lebanon, we will act against it with full force until security is restored and residents can return to their homes.” And, he added, “A regime that threatens destruction deserves to be destroyed.”

Let me remind you, from Psalm 83, Israel’s neighbors, including Gaza, Hamas, Hezbollah, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, the Palestinians and others, will continue their attempt to destroy Israel, but will fail to do so because the Lord God Himself will come to Israel’s defense and ultimately destroy her other enemies (Russia, Iran, Turkey, Libya and others which you can read about in Ezekiel 38-39.

Yes, dearly beloved in Christ, these are scary and exciting times. So, stay tuned and know that, if God said in Scripture, it is going t o happen, it will happen, perhaps even in our lifetime. And, if you are not a believer in Jesus, please agree with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) and believe He died on a cross for your sins, was buried and raised from the dead (I Corinthians 15:1-4) to forgive all your sins and give you eternal life (John 3:16). Then, watch, wait, work, witness for, walk with and worship Jesus until He comes Love, Doug (7/1/24)

PERSECUTION: ARE YOU READY?

Good morning, blog readers, from sunny and cool (53 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw: 52 robins, 11 3 bunnies red-winged blackbirds, 10 crows, 5 doves and 5 grackles! Thank You, Jesus!

This headline, from today’s Gatestone Institute, really grabbed my attention: “We Don’t Want Churches, We Want Mosques: The Persecution of Christians.”

In the article, Raymond Ibrahim reported: “A raging Muslim mob attacked and savagely beat a 74-year old Christian man, on what turned out to be a false accusation of ‘blasphemy.’ Nine days later, on June 3, Nazir Masih Gill died from his many injuries, including a smashed skull – Morning Star, June 3, 2024, Pakistan

Then, the article continued: ” “The Muslim employer of Saima Bibi, a 24-year old Christian woman, dragged her outside and shoved her toward an electric chaff cutter – which sliced off one of her ears, cut off most of her scalp, and injured an eye – Morning Star News, May 15, 2024, Pakistan. Shahid Masih, a 35-year old Christian dairy worker, was falsely accused of theft and subjected to ‘merciless torture.'”

And Jesus said, in Matthew 24:9, that one of the “signs” leading up to His return would be: “They (unbelievers) will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.”

This reminded me of Hebrews 11:35-40 where the author wrote of persecution: “Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.” All I can say is: “Wow! What faith! What courage! May these brave and courageous saints be an example to us in times of persecution.

Yes, dearly beloved in Christ, the signs of His coming (Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21) are increasing in frequency and intensity, like “birth pains,” as He (Jesus) said they would in Matthew 24:8. So, let me ask you: “Do you know Jesus as your Savior?” Have you agreed with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) and believed He died on a cross for your sins, was buried and raised from the dead (I Corinthians 15:1-4) to forgive all your sins and give you eternal life (John 3:16). If so, I’ll see you in heaven, if not sooner. Please know I love you and am praying for your salvation and sanctification (Christlikeness). Love, Doug (6/30/24)

THE SAD DECLINE of AMERICA!

Good morning, blog readers, from cloudy and warm (69 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw: 30 robins, 7 deer, 3 bunnies, 3 doves, a cardinal and a red-winged blackbird! Than You, Jesus!

This morning-headline, from the Gatestone Institute, should be of great concern to us here in the United States of America: “The Obama and Biden Administrations: Paving the Way for a Nuclear-Armed Iran.”

In the article, Majid Rafizadeh reported: “America’s ‘diplomatic efforts,’ instead of putting a stop to Iran’s nuclear program, have only resulted in a series of concessions that have empowered the Iranian regime. The lack of stringent enforcement and verification measures, and especially lifting secondary sanctions – by which any country that does business with Iran is prohibited from doing business with America – have allowed Iran to accelerate its nuclear activities ‘under the radar.'”

Iran’s continued development of ballistic missile technology and its persistent firing of missiles, both in clear violation of UN resolutions (what a joke!), were largely overlooked. In addition, the growing bellicosity of Iran’s huge militia, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as well as the nuclear program itself, were apparently never addressed with the seriousness they warranted – thereby allowing Iran to expand its military capabilities and regional aggression. The Iranian regime strategically allocated these funds to support and expand its own proxy presence throughout the region, including, among other spots: Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Mali, Burkino Faso and the Gaza Strip.”

Sadly, the Iranians and their proxies, may very well use their “American-funded nuclear arsenal” to attack and destroy America! And, speaking of earthquakes, last night, there was an unusual “minor” (3.4) quake, 15 km SW of Henderson, New York (population: 224, as of 2010). Stay tuned!

And, if you are not a believer in Jesus, why not become one today, right now, by agreeing with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) and believe He died on a cross for your sins, was buried and raised from the dead (I Corinthians 15:1-4) to forgive all your sins and give you eternal life (John 3:16). Then, watch, wait, work, witness for, walk with and worship Jesus until He comes. Love, blessings and prayers, Doug (6/29/24)

MAJOR QUAKE & BOLD MOVE!

Good morning, blog readers, from rainy and warm (76 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw: 52 robins, 5 red-winged blackbirds, 4 bunnies, 3 deer, 3 doves, a cardinal, a crow and a dog! Thank You, Jesus!

This morning, there was a “major” (7.2) earthquake, 123 miles from Chala, Peru. So far, there have been no reports of deaths or injuries.

Then, there was this bold headline from the AP: “Oklahoma state superintendent orders schools to teach the Bible in grades 5-12!” In the article, Sean Murphy reported: “Oklahoma’s top education official ordered public schools Thursday to incorporate the Bible into lessons for grades 5 through 12, the latest effort by conservatives to incorporate religion into classrooms.

The directive drew immediate criticism from civil rights groups and supporters of the separation of church and state, with some calling it an abuse of power and a violation of the U.S. Constitution. The order sent to districts across the state by Republican State Superintendent Ryan Walters says “adherence to the mandate is compulsory and immediate and strict compliance is expected.” Walters went on to say: “The Bible is an indispensable historical and cultural touchstone. Without basic knowledge of it, Oklahoma students are unable to properly contextualize the foundation of our nation which is why Oklahoma educational standards provide for its instruction. Oklahoma law already explicitly allows Bibles in the classroom and lets teachers use them in instruction,” said Phil Bacharach, a spokesman for state Attorney General Gentner Drummound.” Doug: “Praise God!”

Doug: “It’s so refreshing to hear of the believers in Jesus who are willing to put their jobs, careers and lives on the line for Jesus.” Read Hebrews 11 and, if you dare, Foxe’s “Book of Martyrs,” and you will hear the testimonies of those who were willing to die for their faith in God and Jesus. May the Lord give us courage to do the same for Him if it should ever come to that to His glory!

And, if you are not a believer in Jesus, why not become one today, even now, by simply agreeing with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans :23, 24) and believe He died on a cross for your sins, was buried and raised from the dead (I Corinthians 15:1-4) to forgive all your sins and give you eternal life (John 3:16). Then, watch, wait, work, witness for, walk with and worship Jesus until He comes. Blessings with love and prayers, Doug (6/28/24).

CLIMATE VACCINES: WHAT’S NEXT?

Good morning, blog readers, from sunny and warm (76 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw: 46 robins, 3 bunnies, 2 deer and a dove! Thank You, Jesus!

This recent headline (which I may have written about before), from Technocracy News & Trends, really caught my eye: “One Health: Climate Vaccines Are Coming for the Cattle, Then for Humans!”

Yudi Sherman began his article with a question: “Who gives Bill Gates and a bunch of lunatic bio-scientists the right to inject life-altering substances into all the cattle (and other livestock critical for food) of the world? No one! How about all the humans on Earth? No one! One Health thinking is off the rails; first, climate change (the ecosystem) is causing diseases in animals (the pivot), which are jumping to humans (the targets). This phony scheme is fraudulent from end to end, and if it is not stopped, it threatens all life on earth.”

This doesn’t surprise me at all because, according Revelation 13 in the Bible, there is coming a time, perhaps soon, when a sinister individual, aka, the antichrist, will, one day, rule the world for three and a half years, blaspheme God and all the believers in Jesus and kill all those who do not worship him and take his “mark,” that is, the number “666.” And, If you don’t believe me, I suggest you read all of Revelation 13 and see for yourself.

As believers in Jesus, we know that, ultimately, the Lord Jesus Christ will come and take all the believers in Him with Him to heaven for eternity. And, get this, “in the twinkling of an eye (I Corinthians 15:5), He will change these sinful, sickly bodies inro a “glorified” body like His for eternity. Glory to God! I can’t wait! But, wait I must and so must all the believers in Jesus for His coming which may not be that far away as we watch the “signs of His return, Jesus gave us in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21.

So, let me ask you: “If you were to die today, would you be 100% sure you would go to heaven? And, on what basis? The correct answer would be “by God’s grace through faith in Christ, His death, burial and resurrection and not by works, as so many are wrongly taught in churches today (Ephesians 2:8, 9; I Corinthians 15:1-4).

Almost time for work. Please let me know if you have any questions about any of this and know I am praying for you, your salvation and sanctification (Christlikeness). Love, Doug (6/27/24)

THE NEW FATHER of LIES: AI

Good morning, blog readers, from cloudy and warm (76 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw: 47 robins, 8 red-winged blackbirds, 5 grackles, 4 bunnies, 3 dogs, 2 crows, 2 deer, and a dove! Thank You, Jesus!

This headline, from a recent Live Science, really got my attention this morning: ‘Master of Deception’: Current AI models already have the capacity to expertly manipulate and deceive humans.”

In the article, Nicholas Fearn wrote: “Large language models (LLMS) have mastered the art of deception when competing with humans in games, but scientists warn these skills can also spill out into other domains. Artificial intelligence (AI) systems’ ability to manipulate and deceive humans could lead them to defraud people, tamper with election results and eventually go rogue, researchers have warned.”

Peter S. Park, a postdoctoral fellow in AI existential safety at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and researchers have found that many popular AI systems – even those designed to be honest and useful digital companions – are already capable of deceiving humans, which could have huge consequences for society.”

Certainly, as a Christian, this does not come as a surprise to me since Jesus warned us, in Matthew 24:5: “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ, and will mislead many.” He also said, in verses 23-25: “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is, do not believe him. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect,” that is, the believers in Jesus. We also know, from John 8:44, that Satan is “a liar and the father of lies” and that Jesus is “the way, and the truth, and the life (John 14:6); no one comes to the Father (goes to heaven), but through Me.”

So, as this world and country get further away from the truth of God’s Word, the Bible, you will also see “an increase in lawlessness, (Matthew 24:12), false Christs, false prophets and false miracles, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect, that is, the believers in Jesus (Matthew 24:24).

Please know, if you don’t already know, you have a choice between heaven or hell, Jesus or Satan for eternity. Please also know that God loves you and wants you to spend your eternity with Him in heaven which is only available through His Son, Jesus. So, if you haven’t already done so, agree with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) and believe He died on a cross for your sins, was buried and raised from the dead (I Corinthians 15:1-4) to forgive all your sins and give you eternal life (John 3:16). If you do, I’ll see you in heaven. If you don’t , please know I will keep praying for you. Love and blessings in Christ, Doug (6/26/24)

SURPRISE, BUT NO SURPRISE!

Good morning, blog readers, from stormy and warm (73 degrees) Wisconsin where, because of a thunder and lightning storm, I did not go on my morning walk! Thank You, Jesus, for giving me common sense!

This morning headline was stunning, but no surprise: “A previously censored paper from the Lancet has now undergone peer review and is now online. The study titled, “A Systematic Review of Autopsy Findings in Deaths After COVID-19 Vaccination,” analyzed 325 autopsy cases and found that a 73.9% of deaths were either directly due to or significantly contributed to by the COVID-19 vaccination. The paper’s leading author, Dr. Nicolas Hulscher, faced significant opposition in bringing these findings to light. After initially being downloaded over 100,000 times, The Lancet removed the paper within 24 hours, according to Dr. William Makis. According to The Daily Sceptic, the reason given at the time was, ‘This preprint has been removed by Preprints with the Lancet because the study’s conclusions are not supported by the study methodology.”

In a post on Friday, Dr. William Makis shared the exciting news: “BREAKING NEWS: “Our LANCET CENSORED Paper is now peer reviewed and available online!” Makis wrote on X. “Incredible perseverance by first author Nicolas Hulscher who didn’t give up after LANCET pulled our paper within 24 hours after 100,000s of downloads for no legitimate reason. Big pharma put the squeeze on The Lancet, but has failed to stop us. Our paper was delayed by one year, and those actions of CENSORSHIP and CANCELLATION led to many deaths that could have been prevented. “This paper could be a game changer, “Makis added.

Once again, let me remind you that we are in a battle between The Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6) Who is Jesus and the “father of lies,” the devil (John 8:44). And, this battle will continue until Jesus returns to the earth to defeat and destroy the devil and reigns as “KING OF KINGS, and LORD OF LORDS (Revelation 19:16). I can’t wait! But, wait I must. And, so must you, and watch, work, witness for, walk with and worship Jesus until He comes.

And, if you are still not a believer in Jesus, why not become one today by agreeing with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) and believe He died on a cross for your sins, was buried and raised from the dead (I Corinthians 15:1-4) to forgive all your sins and give you eternal life (John 3:16). And, if you do, “I’ll see you in heaven! Love, Doug (6/25/24)

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