Good morning, blog readers, from sunny and cool (59 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw a very large German Shepherd! Thank You, Jesus, for keeping me safe!

This headline, from yesterday’s Jewish News Syndicate, got my attention this morning: “Netanyahu warns Hamas chief who threatened ‘regional war.'”

In the article, the JNS Staff reported: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday responded to a senior Hamas official’s threat of a ‘regional war’ should Israel resume targeted killings in the wake of a series of deadly terrorist attacks in Judea and Samaria. Saleh al-Arouri – currently based in Lebanon and Hamas’ top commander in Judea and Samaria – raised the threat of war in an interview on Friday with Al Mayadeen, a pro-Hezbollah Lebanese paper.

At the start of Sunday’s weekly Cabinet meeting , Netanyahu said that he had heard Al-Arouri’s ‘arrogant words,’ spoken ‘from his hiding place in Lebanon. “He knows very well why he and his friends are in hiding places,” the premier added.

Question: “Could these threats on both sides be leading up to a Psalm 83 war between Israel and her neighbors (Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, the Palestinians, Hamas, Hezbollah and possibly Al Qaeda)? Stay tuned, as we might just see this prophecy fulfilled in our lifetime.

Question: “Do you know Jesus as your Savior?” Please know your answer to this question will determine where you spend your eternity: heaven or hell. But, there’s good news: Jesus died on a cross for our sins, was buried and raised from the dead (I Corinthians 15:1-4) to forgive all our sins and give us eternal life in heaven (John 3:16). Praying I’ll see you in heaven, Doug (8/28/23)

Good morning, blog readers, from mostly sunny and cool (57 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw: a deer, an owl and the planet Venus shining brightly. Thank You, Jesus!

This recent headline, from Dr. Joseph Mercola, caught my eye: “The Pandemic Planning Racket!”

In the article, Dr. Mercola wrote: “The biosecurity crisis needs to continue indefinitely because it’s the primary justification behind ‘The Great Reset.’ In the fall of 2022, mainstream media started warning of a potential ‘tripledemic,’ with COVID, seasonal inluenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) being in circulation at the same time. The sudden focus on RSV just so happened to coincide with announcements that RSV vaccines were being fast-tracked (of course).

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first-ever RSV vaccines in the summer or 2023 for seniors 60 years and older – one by Pfizer (Abrysvo) and one by GlaxoSmithKline (Arexvy). Both vaccines are recombinant (combination of) subunit vaccines, and both manufacturers have reported Guillain-Barre syndrome as a side effect. Note: This is a rare neurological syndrome in which your immune system mistakenly attacks part of the peripheral nervous system – the network of nerves located outside of the brain and spinal cord). Ah, no thank you!

Dr. Mercola continued: “As we’re heading into the fall of 2023, the ‘tripledemic’ of COVID, RSV and influenza is again making headlines. A Google search for the key words ‘triple pandemic 2023’ garnered a staggering 41.1 million articles. And, as we saw through the COVID pandemic, news agencies are using the exact same headlines and talking points. This is unequivocal evidence that the tripledemic is being coordinated by a central source.”

So, now that you know something about “The Pandemic Planning Racket” and its possible side effects, are you still thinking it’s a good idea to get all three shots? I’m not because I don’t trust the world leaders, including the U. S. government, the scientists and the drug companies who have been lying to us since the COVID outbreak began and making big profits. Sounds to me a lot like the coming government of the Antichrist which, if you dare, you can read about in Revelation 13.

Yes, dearly beloved in Christ, He is coming and, maybe, sooner than later, as the “birth pains” of His return continue to increase. So, “stay on the alert” (Mark 13:33, 35, 37) and continue to watch, wait, work, witness for, walk with and worship Jesus until He comes. 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). Blessings with love, Doug (8/27/23)

Good morning, blog readers, from cloudy, windy and warm (64 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw: a bunny and a deer! Thank You, Jesus!

This sad headline, from Prophecy News Watch, caught my eye this morning: “Christian Parents Fail to Instill a Biblical Worldview in the Next Generation.

In the article, Dan Hart reported: “Surveys show that Christian identity is in decline in America. A study conducted by the Family Research Council suggests that only 6% of the adult population has an authentic biblical worldview. So how can believers more effectively spread the gospel and begin to reverse the trend? Sociologist and researcher George Barna has an answer and it starts with children and how they are raised.

Barna, the director of research at the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University and senior research fellow at FRC’s Center for Biblical Worldview, has authored a new book, ‘Raising Spiritual Champions: Nurturing Your Child’s Heart, Mind and Soul,’ which is scheduled for release on Labor Day that a biblical worldview must be instilled in young children in order for it to last into adulthood, and parents must be primarily responsible for this critical undertaking.

Barna said: “We found that there are four different worldview phases that people go through. And the most important of those is the first phase. And it starts when somebody is 15 to 18 months of age, And that worldview development phase is essentially completed by the time they reach the age of 13. Now, during the teens and 20s up to the mid-20s, sometimes later 20s, what we find is that people take that worldview that they developed as young children as the foundation for their life.

Barna further asserted that the modern parenting tendency to delegate others to teach their children has contributed to a societal decline in biblical worldview. Essentially what’s happened is we’ve developed a kind of a new model of parenting which I describe as ‘outsourcing,’ he noted.’ We look for people who can do the best job in different dimensions of our children’s lives. And so we’ll look for the best teachers, the best coaches, etc. who we can hire or cajole into spending a lot of time with our kids. What we’ve discovered is that most parents have no plan for what they’re going to do to raise their children up.”

How about this idea from a very wise man (King Solomon) who, in Proverbs 22:6, wrote: “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Please know I (Doug) pray daily that my blog will bless you with salvation or sanctification, whichever you need to the glory of God. Blessings, Doug (8/25/23)

Good morning, blog readers, from cloudy and warm (67 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw: 4 deer! Thank You, Jesus!

This headline, from Christian Headlines, got my attention this morning: “What’s Behind America’s ‘Great Dechurching?'”

In the article, John Stonestreet and Shane Morris reported: “In the Gay Science, Friedrich Nietzsche, in the Parable of the Madman, tells of a madman who lights a lantern early in the morning, runs to the marketplace and declares, ‘God is dead.’ Nietzsche’s point was that, though Enlightenment philosophers had embraced atheism, they had not yet realized the huge implications. So, Nietzsche told them via a rant from a Madman, which ends when he bursts into church buildings and asks: ‘What after all are these churches now if they are not tombs and sepulchers of God?'”

In 2023 in America, that last question feels uncomfortably relevant, even for those of us who know God is alive and well. U. S. church membership, as a percentage of the population, is now at a record low – down more than 20 points in the twenty-first century. For years, this statistic could be attributed to the decline of mainline Protestantism, a once dominant force in American life that is now kind of a hospice for graying liberal theology. However, recent news that the Southern Baptist Convention, America’s largest Protestant denomination, lost half a million members last year makes clear that decline is no longer just a mainline problem.

The authors of ‘The Great Dechurching’ suggest that low expectations of those in the pews and widely embraced individualist assumptions have led to fewer and fewer Americans finding time for church. If Christianity is merely a kind of hobby or weekly pep talk designed to enhance psychological well-being or career success, then we can find better stuff on YouTube or Spotify. Why make time for this type of church every week?

But what if Christianity is a way of life, the thing it’s all about? What if it demands our allegiance? What if following Christ restructures our priorities and pursuits, our beliefs and our behavior – including our career, family, and even personal identity?

Everything else in our society directs our gaze inward, to ourselves, our feelings, our priorities, and our problems – as if every individual is the center of his or her own universe. Churches that accept and even participate in this idolatry may be leading millions away from Christianity, not by demanding everything of them, but by demanding nothing.”

Sadly, Jesus, in Matthew 24:10, and Paul, in II Thessalonians 2:3, predicted that, before Jesus returns, “many will fall away from their faith in Christ (Matthew 24:10) which makes me think, along with the other “signs” He listed in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21, He may be coming sooner than later.

So, please, make sure you are attending a church which, in its Statement of Faith, agrees with God we are all sinners who need a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) and believes He died on a cross for our sins, was buried and raised from the dead (I Corinthians 15:1-4) to forgive all our sins and give us eternal life (John 3:16). And, all by the grace of God and not our good works (Ephesians 2:8,9). Then, watch, wait, work, witness for, walk with and worship Jesus until He comes. And, if you are not a believer in Jesus, you can become one right now by agreeing with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior and believe He died on a cross for your sins, was buried and raised from the dead to forgive all your sins and give you eternal life. Blessings with love, Doug (8/25/23)

Good morning, blog readers, from hazy and muggy (70 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw a lone robin! Thank You, Jesus!

This recent headline, from Olivier Melnick, really got my attention this morning: “The Kosher Red Heifer Is the Missing Piece in the Prophetic Puzzle and It Could Already Be Here!”

Melnick wrote: “Almost a year after five red heifers were found in Rockwell, Texas, and flown to Israel, how close are we to the animals being qualified for the critical sacrifice required to generate the ashes of the red heifer needed for purification at the time of the third temple (Revelation 11:1)? It could be closer than we think!

Note: According to my recollection which isn’t so great these days, the five red heifers landed in Israel on September 15, 2022, one of which was found with a white hair and thus was ruled ineligible for the sacrifice. Now, I haven’t heard anything since about the other four, but I think I remember being told that, in order for the red heifer to be used for the sacrifice, it has to remain perfectly red for 2 years and a day after its arrival in Israel which would be on September 16, 2024. Stay tuned! P. S. If I hear anything more, I’ll let you know. And, if you hear something more about the red heifers in Israel, please email me at frolics@att.net and I’ll pass it along to my blog-readers.

Yes, dearly beloved in Christ, these are exciting times, as we see Bible prophecy being fulfilled. And, if you don’t believe me, check out Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21. Then, watch the news to see if what Jesus said about the “signs of His return” are happening. And, if they are, make sure you are right with Jesus which means you have 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). Then, watch, wait, work, witness for, walk with and worship Jesus until He comes. Blessings, Doug (8/24/23)

Good morning, blog readers, from hazy and humid (79 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw a cat run straight across a highway and make it safely to the other side! Thank You, Jesus!

This headline, from yesterday’s “The Roys Report,” sadly got my attention this morning: ‘Prosperity Gospel Beliefs on the Rise Among Churchgoers!'”

In the article, Marissa Sullivan reported: “A study from Lifeway Research finds 52% of U.S. Protestant churchgoers say their church teaches God will bless them if they give more money to their church and charities. This is up from 38% of churchgoers who agreed in a 2017 Lifeway Research Study.”

Now, I know there are a lot of preachers preaching and teaching about “tithing” or giving 10% of your income to the Lord’s work which, in my opinion, is a good place to start. But, did you know the apostle Paul never mentioned “tithing” in his 13 letters of Scripture? However, he did offer 5 ideas for giving to the Lord which I highly recommend:

#1. Your giving should be regular (I Corinthians 16:2).

#2. It should be between you and God (II Corinthians 9:7).

#3. It should be cheerful (II Corinthians 9:7).

#4. It should be generous (II Corinthians 8:9:11).

#5. It should be Christlike (II Corinthians 8:7-9).

Oh, and one more thought about “prosperity preachers.” I can remember watching one, in a former basketball arena, talking about how proud his Dad would be of all his accomplishments. Then, he invited all of his family members who were present to join him on the stage and, without presenting the gospel, invited people to come forward and receive Christ. All I can say is, “how blasphemous!”

So, please, if you are a believer in Jesus, make sure you’re following God’s servant who preaches and teaches God’s Word and not his/her own ideas which are becoming more and more popular, much to Satan’s delight. 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). And, if you do, I’ll see you in heaven, if not sooner! Blessings, Doug (8/23/23)

Good morning, blog readers, from cloudy and windy (64 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw: a deer and got a “beep” from a truck driver! Thank You, Jesus!

Question: “Do you know what BRICS stands for?” Answer: “Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa” who are meeting today in Johannesburg “for a summit where they will weigh expanding the bloc, as some members push to forge it into a counterweight to the West. Heightened global tension provoked by the Ukraine war and a growing interest rivalry between China and the United States have added urgency to a drive to strengthen the bloc which has, at times suffered from internal divisions and a lack of coherent vision.”

In addition to the above headline, here’s another one which caught my eye: “Invasive yellow-legged hornet, which preys on honey bees, has been spotted in Georgia for the first time after a beekeeper reported an unusual insect in Savannah, Georgia in early August.

‘They are generalist feeders on insect prey,’ Keith Delaplane, the director of the UGA Honey Bee Program at the University of Georgia, told Live Science in an email. But honey bees are a special concern because their managed apiaries (specifically each hive entrance and its steady traffic of foragers) constitutes the most concentrated source of prey the hornets encounter. They’re easy pickings.” Scientists have found two worker hornets, and experts are concerned there is an active nest, which would help the species become established. Hence the urgency to trap and eradicate any incipient nests before they release next year’s queens,” Delaplane said.”

Interestingly enough, the Bible mentions “hornets” three times (Exodus 23:28; Deuteronomy 7:20; Joshua 24:12). William MacDonald comments on the Deuteronomy passage (verses 12-16): “If God’s people would be faithful to Him in the land, He would bless them with numerous children, abundant crops, large herds, health, and victory over their enemies. If they were ever tempted to fear their enemies, they should remember God’s mighty deliverances in the past, especially the deliverance from Egypt (verses 17-19). As He had done in the past, He would do for them again, sending the hornet to destroy their foes. The hornet may be literal or a figure of speech for a conquering army (verses 20-24).” If you dare, you might want to read Revelation 9:1-10 where John saw a future invasion of “locusts” who “had tails like scorpions and stings in their tails with the power to hurt men (and women) for five months.” Warning: “You don’t want to be around for God’s judgments!”

Personally, I believe (other Christians do not) the believers in Jesus will not be around for the wrath and judgments of God, based on I Thessalonians 5:9 where Paul wrote: “For God has not destined us (the believers in Jesus) for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

And, while the BRICS nations are joining together, along with others, to take over the world, the Lord will eventually take care of them when He returns to the earth to set up His kingdom. (Revelation 19:11-20:15). I can’t wait! But, wait I must and watch, work, witness for, walk with and worship Jesus until He comes. And, if you are still 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 to forgive all your sins and give you eternal life (John 3:16). And, if you do, I’ll see you in heaven, if not sooner. Blessings with love, Doug (8/22/23)

Good morning, blog readers, from hazy and cool (63 degrees) where, on my morning walk, I saw: a cricket, a deer, a finch and a moth! Thank You, Jesus!

This headline, from yesterday’s U.S News, really got my attention this morning: “Magnitude 5.1 earthquake rattles California, as state gets soaked by tropical storm.”

The U. S. News staff reported: “A moderate earthquake shook a large swath of Southern California on Sunday just hours after a tropical storm came ashore bringing torrential rain. The 5.1 quake struck at 2:41 p.m. about 4 miles (7 kilometers) southeast of the mountain community of Ojai, (population: 7461, as of 2010) about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northwest of downtown Los Angeles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was felt widely across the region and bookended by smaller foreshocks and aftershocks, the USGS said.” There were no immediate reports of major damage or injury, according to the Ventura County Sheriff’s office.”

And Jesus said, in Matthew 24:7, “and there will be earthquakes in various places and, in Luke 21:25, “There will be signs in the sun, the moon and the stars, and on earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves.” And, in Matthew 24:8, He also said, “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs (pains).” Note: I (Doug) am thinking we are still in the “first trimester” of the birth pains. And, if I am right, (and I could be wrong), the birth pains will increase in “frequency and intensity, as we get closer to the Lord’s return.

So, dearly beloved in Christ, stay tuned and keep watching, waiting, working, witnessing for, walking with and worshiping Jesus until He comes. 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). And, if you do, I’ll see you in heaven! Blessings, Doug (8/21/23)

Good morning, blog readers, from hazy and warm (69 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw: 4 deer and a finch!

This headline, from the August 18, 2023 Gatestone Institute, is frightening and, perhaps, prophetical: “Will China, Russia, and North Korea Launch Their Nukes?”

In the article, Gordon G. Chang, whom I highly respect, reported: “Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un see the world in the same terms, and they all realize that none of them will accomplish their goals unless they get the United States out of the way.

Perhaps of greatest concern is that all three regimes (China, Russia and North Korea) share a nuclear weapons doctrine of ‘escalate to de-escalate’ or ‘escalate to win’ – threatening the use of nuclear weapons to keep others from defending their intended victims. Xi and Putin appear capable of actually using their most destructive weapons. Kim has made threats to use nuclear weapons pre-emptively. His regime last year even enacted a law authorizing such use.

When aggressors threaten the use of nuclear weapons, anything can happen. America will have to be prepared that China, along with its friends, are willing to do anything to get what they want.”

Yesterday, I quoted, from Revelation 6:8, “And I (John) looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. And authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword (war) and with famine and with pestilence (the results of war) and by the wild beasts of the earth” which, according to Dr. Henry M. Morris’ in his book, “The Revelation Record,” could be “venomous snakes,” based on the account of what Paul experienced in Acts 28:1-6.

I’m sure you would agree this is not a nice picture of things to come. Personally I believe (not all Christians do) in a “pre-tribulation rapture of the church” and, as a result we will not be here when God’s wrath is poured out upon the earth, as we read, in I Thessalonians 5:9, “For God has not destined us for wrath., but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Regardless, as believers in Jesus, let us prepare for tougher times by watching, waiting, working, witnessing for, walking with and worshiping Jesus until He comes (pre, mid or post trib). And, if you are not a believer in Jesus, my prayer is that you would become one 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. Blessings with love, Doug (8/20/23)

Good morning, blog readers, from cloudy and cool (62 degrees) where on my morning walk, I saw: 3 bunnies, 3 deer, a finch and a robin! Thank You, Jesus!

This headline, from today’s Gatestone Institute, made me think of Revelation 6: “Biden Administration Funding Iran’s Nuclear Weapons Program, Incentivizing Terror.”

In the article, Majid Rafizadeh reported: “The Biden Administration has destabilized the Middle East, launched a potential international nuclear arms race, incentivized global terrorism, increased American’s tax payers’ funding both sides of the Ukraine war, crushed even further a people fighting for their freedom and appeased yet another rogue regime – after Afghanistan, China and Venezuela – this time one that the U.S. State Department itself has called the ‘top state sponsor of terrorism,’ Iran, all in one week.”

All of this reminds me of what the apostle John wrote about in Revelation 6:1-8, “And I saw when the Lamb (Jesus) broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, ‘Come.’ And I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him; and he went out conquering, and to conquer. And when He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, ‘Come.’ And another, a red horse, went out; and to him it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men should slay one another; and a great sword was given to him. And when He (Jesus) broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, ‘Come.’ And I looked, and behold a black horse; and to him who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard as it were a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, ‘A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.’ And when He broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, ‘Come.’ And I looked and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. And authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth (2 billion people), to kill with the sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.”

Now, I don’t know about you but, when I read today’s article from the Gatestone Institute, along with what John wrote in Revelation 6:1-8, I think of the possibility of a nuclear war which could very easily kill a fourth of the population of the earth, thus fulfilling prophecy. Personally, I believe (though not all Christians do) in a “pre-trib rapture of the church,” (I Thessalonians 1:10; 4:13-18; 5:9-11 when all the believers in Jesus, past and present, will be raised to meet the Lord “in the air” and escape God’s wrath to come which you can read about, if you dare, in Revelation 6-19.

So, in light of all this, what are we, as Christians to do: watch, wait, work, witness for, walk with and worship Jesus until He comes. 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). Blessings with love and prayers, Doug (8/19/23)