Good morning, blog readers, from cloudy and cold (7 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I heard two owls hooting at each other! Thank You, Jesus, I can still hear!

This headline, from the Gatestone Institute, caught my eye this morning: “US Military’s Failing Deterrence of China – ‘They Are Putting Capability in the Field Faster Than We Are.'”

In the article, Judith Bergman reported: “In just two years since 2020, when the Pentagon wrongly estimated that it would take China a decade to double its nuclear stockpile at the time of approximately 200 nuclear warheads, China has already doubled its stockpile. Admiral Charles Richard said, on November 3, 2022, ‘As I assess our level of deterrence against China, the ship is slowly sinking, as fundamentally they are putting capability in the field faster than we are. As those curves keep going, it isn’t going to matter how good our operating plan is or how good our commanders are, or how good our forces are – we’re not going to have enough of them. And that is a very real near-term problem.’

Bergman continued: “Unfortunately, the US is facing China with a lot of outdated military hardware. Instead of doing all in its power to counter those adversaries, however, the Department of Defense has been focusing precious time on extremism, diversity, equity, inclusion and climate change within the military.” Note: All of which I believe (and I could be wrong) will lead to the weakening of and, perhaps, destruction of the U.S.

Let me remind you again of what the apostle John wrote in Revelation 16:12, “The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east” which, I believe will include China and her allies.

Now, let me tell you what I believe (and I could be wrong) will happen before Jesus returns to the earth to conquer His adversaries an set up His kingdom:

Stage #1: The so-called “rapture of the church” when the Lord Jesus will come down from heaven to meet His bride “in the air” (I Thessalonians 4:13-17), glorify her (I Corinthians 15:50-56), then take her to His Father’s house in heaven (John 14:1-3).

Stage #2: The “tribulation.” This is a seven-year period of time when God not only pours out His wrath upon the earth (Revelation 6-19), but also saves a countless number of those who have become believers in Jesus through the witness of the 144,000 Jewish evangelists (Revelation 7:4-17).

Stage #3: The “great tribulation,” the second half of this seven-year period which Jesus described as “the worst time in human history” (Matthew 24:21, 22).

Stage #4: Jesus will return to the earth with His bride, the church, and set up His kingdom for 1,000 years while the devil is bound in prison (Revelation 20:1-6).

Stage #5: Satan is released from his prison and, along with his followers, will lead a final assault against Jesus and His people, only to be “devoured by fire from heaven” and cast into hell for eternity (Revelation 20:7-10).

Stage #6: The “Great White Throne Judgment” of all the unbelievers of all time which will result in all the unbelievers being raised, judged and sent to hell for eternity (Revelation 20:11-15).

Stage #7: The beginning of eternity and the creation of a new heaven and a new earth for all the believers in Jesus (Revelation 21-22).

Now, back to China for a final thought. John, in Revelation 16:12, wrote: “The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east” which, I believe, based on the above article, will probably include China. We know, from Ezekiel 38-39, that Russia and her allies will, one day, invade Israel “to take a spoil,” with only a very “weak” response from “Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish” which could possibly include Europe and the U.S.

Remember, we are not to be afraid of Russia, China, the President, or any other human being. We are to trust God to be God and in control of all things and put on the “full armor of God, so that we will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11) and be a strong and joyful witness for Jesus today and everyday to the glory of God. And, if you are not a believer in Jesus, please don’t put it off; 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 (I Corinthians 15:1-4; John 3:16). Blessings with love, Doug (12/26/22)

Good morning, blog readers, from sunny, windy and cold (-1 degrees/-18 degrees with the wind chill) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw something I had never seen before: shafts of light coming down from the heavens to the earth! Please let me know if you saw them or know what they were.

Now, if you’re like me, you have probably never heard of Booneville before, but may have guessed that it was where there was an earthquake overnight. And, you would be right. In fact, according to the USGS, there was a “very minor” (2.5) earthquake in Booneville, Mississippi (population: 8,743, as of 2010). In addition, there were 6 “moderate” (5.0-5.3) quakes in Argentina, Indonesia, the Kuril Islands, Macquarie Island Region, Northern Mariana Islands and Russia.

For many people around the world, today is Christmas, the celebration of the birth of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ Who, unlike every other human being was born to die. We read, in John 3:16, 17, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.”

God also tells, us in Romans 3:23, 24, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.” Did you get that? God is telling us that we are all sinners who need a Savior Who is Jesus Who 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) not by our good works like getting baptized as a baby, confirmed as a youth, taking the sacraments, giving to the church or money to the poor, etc.). The apostle Paul who before He came to faith in Christ, was all about works, but, after He had come to faith in Christ, wrote in Ephesians 2:8, 9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.”

In other words, the Lord Jesus Christ is the only One Who can save you and me from our sins and give us an eternal life in heaven. But, the choice is yours. My prayer is that, if you haven’t already done so, you will, even today, even now, agree with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus Who 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!

Blessings in Christ with love on this Christmas Day, 2022, Doug (12/25/22)

Good morning, blog readers, from windy, snowy and very cold (+1 degree/-19 degrees with the wind chill) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I just made it around the block, but had to go home because of the wind and cold which, in all my years of walking, were some of the worst conditions I have ever experienced! Thank You, Jesus, for getting me home safely!

Now, if you’re like me, you have probably never heard of “Larkfield-Wikiup” before. And, if you have followed me for some time, you can probably guess it is where there was an earthquake over the last 24 hours. And, you would be right. Larkfield-Wikiup is a Census-Designated Place (CDP), about 55 miles north of San Francisco with a population of 8,844 (as of 2010) and where there was a “very minor” (2.5) earthquake over the last 24 hours. Remember, Jesus said, in Matthew 24:7 and Mark 13:8, “You will be hearing of earthquakes in various places,” like Larkfield-Wikiup, California.

He also said, in Matthew 24:6 and Mark 13:7, “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of war.” If you have been watching the news, you are well aware of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. But, here are a couple more to keep an eye on, based on these headlines:

#1. “The Pentagon with one eye on Ukraine and the other on China: 2022 in Review.”

#2. “Report: Israel targeted secret Hezbollah drone site in Syria strike this week.”

In the first article, Valerie Insinna reported: “The war in Ukraine (and subsequent delivery of billions of dollars in air defense equipment, munitions, drones, guns and other weaponry) also prompted a major realization: The Pentagon and defense industry’s ability to rapidly mobilize to produce munitions at the pace that would be needed during a full-scale war has atrophied.” Note: I could be wrong, but I believe our days, as a nation, are numbered because of our total disregard of God’s Word, even among Christians.” This reminded me of Daniel 8:12 where the prophet wrote of the coming Antichrist who “will fling truth to the ground and perform its will and prosper.”

And, in the second article, Emanuel Fabian wrote: “The Israeli Air Force struck a clandestine drone research and development site belonging to the Lebanese Hezbollah terror group in Syria earlier this week, according to a Thursday report by the Saudi-funded-al-Arabiya network and its sister channel al-Hadath. … There was no comment from the Israel Defense Forces, in line with its policy of not generally commenting on air raids in foreign countries. Separately, Syria accused Israel of launching strikes near the Syrian capital Damascus late Monday, leaving two soldiers wounded.”

So, you might ask, “What’s the big deal since these conflicts have been going on for hundreds and even thousands of years? Well, all of the above headlines and articles are actually Bible prophecies to be fulfilled, in accordance with Psalm 83, Isaiah 17:1 and Ezekiel 38-39. So stay tuned, dearly beloved in Christ, while 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) Who 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 (12/24/22)

Good morning, blog readers, from snowy, windy and cold (-11 degrees; -34 degrees wind chill) Wisconsin where, you might have guessed, I did not go for a walk this morning! Lord willing, tomorrow!

This headline, from israelAM, caught my eye this morning: “The Jewish Agency said that 2022 was a record year for aliyah (immigration to Israel) with 63,387 new immigrants arriving in Israel. This is the highest number in the past 23 years. Here’s the breakdown: 37,364 immigrants from Russia, 14,680 from Ukraine, 3,500 from North America, 2,059 from France, 1,993 from Belarus, 1,498 from Ethiopia, 985 from Argentina, 526 from Great Britain, 426 from South Africa and 356 from Brazil.”

So, “what’s the big deal about this ‘aliyah,’ you might ask? Well, back in 70 AD, the Roman army, under General Titus, attacked the Jewish people, burned down their temple in Jerusalem and killed about 1 million of them with the surviving Jews fleeing the land and being scattered all over the known world that is, until Israel was reborn as a nation on May 14, 1948 which you can read about in Ezekiel 37.

Since that time, the Jewish people have been and will continue to be attacked by her Muslim neighbors and other “Jew-haters,” until she (Israel) is “wiped out as a nation that the name of Israel be remembered no more (Psalm 83:1-8).” And, I can tell you right now – that ain’t (excuse my English) going to happen, under the providence of God (Jeremiah 31:35-37) and with Israel’s “exceedingly great army” (Ezekiel 37:10). And yet, despite all the attacks, the Jews will one day be “living in a land of unwalled villages (not today), at rest (not today), living securely (not today) and without walls and having no bars or gates (not today) when Russia and her allies descend upon Israel “to take a spoil” from her, at which time the Lord God Almighty will come to Israel’s defense and destroy her enemies (Ezekiel 38-39).

Then, I am thinking (and I could be wrong), Israel will be living in “peace and safety,” that is, until the Antichrist appears, signs a “seven-year peace treaty” with Israel, breaks it halfway through (Daniel 9:27), desecrates the Jewish temple in Jerusalem, declares himself to be God and alone to be worshiped with the death penalty for all those who resist him (Matthew 24:15-22; Mark 13:14-20; Luke 21:20-24; II Thessalonians 2:3, 4).

Sadly, today, the Jews are not in control of the Temple Mount. I believe Jordan is. And, as a result, the Jews are allowed to go onto the Temple Mount, but cannot pray or worship there. But, one day, the Lord Jesus Christ will return to the earth, defeat His enemies and usher in His kingdom where we, as Christians, will rule and reign with Christ for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1-10).

Certainly, the believers in Jesus have a lot to look forward to on the earth, followed by an eternity in heaven. My hope and prayer is that I will see you in heaven when Jesus comes, reign with Him on earth for 1,000 years and spend an eternity with Him in heaven. How? By simply agreeing with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) Who 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 are a believer in Jesus, fix your eyes on Him (Hebrews 12:2) while watching, waiting, working, witnessing for, walking with and worshiping Jesus until He comes. Blessings, Doug (12/23/22)

Good morning, blog readers, from snowy and “balmy” (31 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw: 3 bunnies and a deer! Thank You, Jesus!

Last night, perhaps like me, you watched Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy deliver a speech to Congress on Capitol Hill. According to Neta Bar of the Israel Hayom Newsletter, “Zelenskyy’s visit also included a visit with President Joe Biden. It comes as lawmakers are set to vote on a year-end package that includes about $45 billion in emergency assistance to Ukraine and as the US prepares to send Patriot surface-to-air missiles to the country to help stave off Russia’s invasion.”

Question: “Will this “package” help to end the war in Ukraine? Though I do not have the mind of God, I do have the Word of God which, as I have said before, tells us, from Ezekiel 38-39, that the Lord will, at some time in the future, draw the leader of Russia (Vladimir Putin?) and a host of other nations, away from one conflict (Ukraine?) to Israel “to take a spoil” from the Israelis, only to be destroyed by the Lord God Himself. And, if you don’t believe me, check it out for yourself in Ezekiel 38-39. Hint: Ezekiel is in the Old Testament between Lamentations and Daniel.

The end of that war will then be followed by other wars, even a “war in heaven between the archangel Michael and his angels and the devil and his angels (Revelation 12:7-17)” which is then followed by the coming of the Antichrist who declares to the world He alone is God and to be worshiped “for a season” until he is destroyed by the Lord Jesus Christ when He returns to the earth to set up His kingdom (Revelation 19:11-21).

Sadly, there will be a lot of blood shed between now and the Lord’s return. But, most importantly of all, the Lord Jesus Christ came to the earth to shed His blood on a cross for our sins that, as we believe in Him, His death, burial and resurrection (I Corinthians 15:1-4), we would not perish in our sins, but have eternal life in heaven (John 3:16; 14:1-6).

Please know I am praying for y’all to have eternal life and also, once you have it, to live victoriously in Jesus until He comes. Blessings, Doug (12/22/22)

Good morning, blog readers, from partly sunny/cloudy and cold (-2 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw: a dog! Thank You, Jesus!

Just when I thought I had heard it all, I saw this headline from “Astronomy and Astrophysics” – “Massive earthquake that shook Mars is 5 times stronger than any other!” According to the article, “It had a magnitude of 4.7, lasted more than 4 hours and was unlike any of the thousands of Marsquakes previously detected. The previous biggest Marsquake, detected in August 2021, had a magnitude of 4.2.” Note: When Jesus told His disciples that, before His return, “there will be earthquakes in various places” (Matthew 24:8 and Mark 13:7), could it be He was also speaking of them on other planets? Stay tuned!

Here’s another interesting and, perhaps prophetical, headline from “Live Science” which caught my eye this morning: “Shock wave from sun has opened up a crack in Earth’s magnetic field, and it could trigger a geomagnetic storm.” In the article, Ben Turner reported: “A mysterious shock wave in a gust of solar wind has sent a barrage of high-speed material smashing into Earth’s magnetic field, opening up a crack in the magnetosphere.”

And, one more headline from the heavens: “US military reports ‘several hundred’ UFO sightings in 2022, Pentagon officials claim.” In the article, Brandon Specktor wrote: “The U.S. government’s brand new UFO-tracking office has been open for half a year but business is already booming. Over the last six months, the office – named the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) – has received ‘several hundreds’ of new UFO reports from U.S. military personnel, office director Sean Kirkpatrick told the Associated Press. This adds to more than 140 UFO sightings reported by the military between 2004 and 2021, which were previously described in a much-anticipated report from the Pentagon in June 2021.” Note: “None of the reports, old or new, show any hint of alien activity, Kirkpatrick noted.”

Jesus also told us, in Luke 21:25, “there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves.”

Yes, dearly beloved in Christ, we are living in exciting and scary times. And, even though I believe (not all Christians do) in a “pre-trib rapture of the church,” I also believe we could still be around to see the “beginning (or, what I like to call, the “first trimester” of the birth pains” Jesus gave His disciples in Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21. Stay tuned!

And, if you are still not a believer in Jesus, don’t assume you have another day; you may not. Simply agree with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) Who 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 are a believer in Jesus, keep watching, waiting, working, witnessing for, walking with and worshiping Jesus until He comes. Blessings with love and prayers, Doug (12/21/22)

Good morning, blog readers, from snowy and cold (25 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw: a deer! Thank You, Jesus!

Those of you who read my daily blog know that, over the last ten days, I have given you some Scriptures (Psalm 83, Isaiah 17:1, Ezekiel 38-39, Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21) which, I believe (and I could be wrong) “may” be indicators we are living in “the last days” before Jesus returns.

Now, before you think that the above title has something to do with a Law Firm, let me show you where these two names could very much have something to do with Bible prophecy and the “last days.”

Ferndale is a city of 1,371 (as of 2010) on the west coast of California where, this morning, there was a “strong” (6.4 earthquake) which was followed by 31 aftershocks (2.5-4.6), as of this writing. I believe (and I could be wrong) that the Lord will use earthquakes not only as a “sign” of His coming around the world, but also in the United States. Stay tuned!

Then, there was this headline from today’s Times of Israel: “Syria says Israeli airstrikes hit sites in Damascus area, two soldiers wounded.” Hmmm! Where have we read about Damascus before? If you’ve been paying attention, you would know that, in Isaiah 17:1, the prophet wrote about a future time when “Damascus will no longer be a city, but will become a heap of ruins (NIV).” In my opinion (and I could be wrong), by a nuclear weapon from Israel. Stay tuned!

And, one more headline from today’s Jewish Press.com: “Russia Hits Kiev with 23 Iranian-made Drones.” Hmmm! Russia and Iran teaming up against another common enemy: Ukraine. Sounds a lot like Ezekiel 38-39 where Russia and Iran, along with a host of other nations will, one day, invade Israel to “take a spoil” from the Israelis, only to be destroyed by the Lord God Himself.

Yes, dearly beloved in Christ, He is coming! And, like He said, the “signs” of His coming will come like “birth pains” (Matthew 24:8) which, over time, will increase with frequency and intensity, as we get closer to His return. Exciting stuff, some of which we may actually see in our lifetime. So, stay tuned, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, 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). Blessings with love and prayers, Doug (12/20/22)

Good morning, blog readers, from cloudy, snowy and cold (7 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw: 2 bunnies! Thank You, Lord for the bunnies!

Today, I have decided to finish my series on the “LAST DAYS” and return to giving you some (four) of the today’s headlines which, I believe (and I could be wrong) could be very prophetical, leading up to the Lord’s return.

#1. West Texas jolted by 5.4 magnitude quake, the state’s 4th largest in history (KTLA News)

#2. Biden Administration and the Two-State Delusion (Gatestone Institute)

#3. Bill Gates Plans for New Catastrophic Contagion (Dr. Joseph Mercola)

#4. Why Is NASA Hiring Religious Leaders to Prepare For Encounters with Aliens (NASA)?

In the first article, the KTLA News Staff reported: “One of the strongest earthquakes in Texas history struck Friday evening in a western region of the state that’s home to oil and fracking activity. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The U.S. Geological Survey said the (moderate) tremblor had a magnitude of 5.4 and was centered about 14 miles north-northwest of Midland. Geophysicist Jana Pursley at the USGS’ National Earthquake Information Center in Colorado said that, according to early reports by the agency, “the quake was felt by more than 1,500 people over a large distance from Amarillo and Abilene in Texas to as far west as Carlsbad, New Mexico.” Note: And Jesus said: “You will be hearing of earthquakes in different places (Matthew 24:7; Mark 13:8).”

In the second article, Bassam Tawil of the Gatestone Institute, reported: “The results of several public opinion polls, including the most recent one, demonstrate that U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, and his team are either engaging in self-deception or simply fail to understand or see what most Palestinians want: killing more Jews and the obliteration of Israel” which, by the way, was prophesied by Asaph in Psalm 83.

In the third article, Dr. Joseph Mercola wrote: “Over time, it’s become clear that the globalist cabal (a small group of persons joined in a secret, often political, intrigue) seeking to implement a one-world government repeatedly tell us what they are about to do. Table top pandemic simulations, for example, are a form of dress rehearsal. In 2017, Johns Hopkins Center of Health Security held a coronavirus pandemic simulation called the SPARS Pandemic 2025-2028 scenario. In October, 2019, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in collaboration with Johns Hopkins and the World Economic Forum hosted Event 201. As in the SPARS Pandemic scenario, Event 201 involved an outbreak of a highly infectious coronavirus, but the primary (if not sole) focus of the exercise was how to control information and keep ‘misinformation’ in check, not how to effectively discover and share remedies.”

That made me think of what Jesus said about Satan in John 8:44, “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

And, in the fourth article, David Sidman of Israel 365, wrote: “In a rather bizarre move, NASA has recruited a British priest to prepare the religious for the discovery of alien life as space agencies claim to be getting closer to discovering evidence that life exists outside of planet earth. Reverend Dr. Andrew Davison, a priest and theology professor at the University of Cambridge, is among 24 theologians who are participating in a program sponsored by NASA at the space agency’s Center for Theological Inquiry (CTI) at Princeton University. Note: I’m not sure why they didn’t ask me to participate since my father graduated from Princeton and I am a retired pastor looking for work. Maybe, next time!

And, Jesus said, in Mathew 24:23-25, “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 show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance.”

Yes, dearly beloved in Christ, these are exciting and scary times. But, remember, we have the triune God and their angels on our side, as we read, in I John 4:4, “You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (I John 4:4). Glory to God! Thank You, Jesus!

And, if you are still not a believer in Jesus, c’mon now, swallow you pride and agree with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) Who 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, Doug (12/19/22)

Good morning, blog readers, from cloudy and cold (18 degrees; wind chill: 5 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I did not see any of God’s creatures, but was thankful to God for the layers of clothes I wore to keep me warm!

Yesterday, I wrote to you about the possibility of Israel bombing and destroying Damascus, Syria, based on the prophecy of Isaiah 17:1. Now, I could be wrong but, if I were to ask you to name a “last days/end time” war from the Bible, what would you say? I am thinking most of you would say: “Armageddon.” I guess I would have too, had I not read Dr. David Reagan’s message/book on “The Nine Wars of the End Times” which I would encourage you to read or listen to at Lamb and Lion Ministries. I think you will be surprised to learn the number of wars which are yet to come. I know I was. And, I personally believe (and I could be wrong) we could actually live to see some of these in our lifetime.

And, in addition to these physical wars, there is also a “spiritual battle” going on that we also need to be aware of. Paul wrote about this in Ephesians 6:10-13 where he said: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” Paul then describes the armor in verses 14-18.

Remember, Satan is a fallen angel who is more powerful than us, as human beings in this world. So, we need the “full armor of God” to “not only resist him, but also to stand up against his “flaming arrows.”

Yes, dearly beloved in Christ, Jesus is coming! But, before He comes, our enemy, the devil, will do everything he can to deceive, devastate and destroy us, so that we give up the cause of Christ and stop watching, waiting, working, witnessing for, walking with and worshiping Jesus until He comes. And, if you are still not a believer in Jesus, please, I beg you, agree with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) Who 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). Off to worship! Blessings with love in Christ, Doug (12/18/22)

Good morning, blog readers, from cloudy, snowy and cold (21 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk in the snow, I did not see any of God’s creatures, but did get a “beep” from a snowplow driver when I gave him a wave! Thank You, Jesus, for all those who plow, shovel and salt our streets, sidewalks and driveways!

Yesterday, I wrote to you about the prophecies of Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38-39 and how they could be possibly fulfilled in our lifetime. Today, let me give you another prophecy from Isaiah 17:1 where the prophet wrote: “The oracle concerning Damascus. ‘Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city, and will become a fallen ruin.'”

Damascus is the capital of Syria and one of the oldest cities in the world. The above prophecy (Isaiah 17:1), according to Matthew Henry in his “Commentary of the Whole Bible,” was written some 2,734 years ago. And, even though Damascus has been attacked and destroyed numerous times over the years, she has always been rebuilt. But, according to Isaiah’s prophecy, there will come a time when she “will be removed from being a city, and will become a fallen ruin.”

Now, I don’t know about you but, me being me, I just had to look up the word for “removed” in the Hebrew to get a better understanding of it. And, this is what I found. The word also means: “to go away, to pass away, to cease, to depart or disappear. Then I asked myself, “How could a city be ‘removed from being a city and become a fallen ruin?'”

Well, I’m glad you asked because we now have “nuclear weapons” which could level that or any city for it to “never rise again.” And, speaking of which, I just found an article in the June 14, 2022 Jerusalem Post with the headline: “Israel Warns (Syrian President) Assad, will bomb palaces if Iran operations continue.” Stay tuned, as this could possibly happen, even in our lifetime.

As the snow continues to fly, I will say “goodbye” for now as I need to rest some. Blessings to all my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we watch, wait, work, witness for, walk with and worship Jesus until He comes. And, if you are not a believer in Jesus, please become one today by agreeing with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) Who 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 (12/17/22)