Healed from a fatal wound!

“whose fatal wound had been healed” Revelation 13:3

Ever since I can remember, I have heard conjecture as to who this might be. I can remember hearing when President John F. Kennedy was killed. Shot in the head, wouldn't you know it, they speculated about him being the antichrist, expecting him to rise from the dead.

But what if we are all wrong about this? 

What if we are not talking about a man, but a powerful religious entity?

A little bit of history on Islam, a religion, once thought dead. Taken from an informational page on Wikipedia.

Three centuries after the death of the Islamic prophet Muhammad (High Middle Ages), the Arab Caliphates extended from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to Central Asia in the east. The subsequent empires of the Umayyads, Abbasids, Fatimids, Ghaznavids, Seljuqs, Safavids, Mughals, and Ottomans were among the influential and distinguished powers in the world. The Islamic civilization gave rise to many centers of culture and science and produced notable scientists, astronomers, mathematicians, doctors, nurses and philosophers during the Golden Age of Islam. Technology flourished; there was investment in economic infrastructure, such as irrigation systems and canals; and the importance of reading the Qur'an produced a comparatively high level of literacy in the general populace.

In the later Middle Ages, destructive Mongol invasions from the East, and the loss of population in the Black Death, greatly weakened the traditional centre of the Islamic world, stretching from Persia to Egypt, and the Ottoman Empire was able to conquer most Arabic-speaking areas, creating an Islamic world power again, although one that was to prove unable to develop to meet the challenges of the Early Modern period.

Later, in modern history (18th and 19th centuries), many Islamic regions fell under the influence of European Great powers. After the First World War, the territorial possessions of the Ottoman empire (a Central Powers member) were partitioned and divided into several nations under the terms of the Treaty of Sèvres. Since 1924, there has been no degree of an accepted claim as Caliph (tr., "successor") to the caliphate (tr.,"dominion of successor") [ed., This had been last claimed by the Ottomans].

Perhaps, Islam was the head that was wounded. As the article states, “Since 1924, there has been no degree of an accepted claim as Caliph (tr., "successor") to the caliphate ..” 

While head wounds are typically fatal, that was not the case here, and yet scripture calls it a fatal wound. 

How many of us would have given a second thought to Islam about thirty years ago? 

It was not until Islamic fanatics took over the American embassy in Iran that we seemed to pay any attention to them, but from that point on, Islam has begun to grow in numbers and power. The methods have improved, but the goal has never changed; the world must, in their minds, come under an Islamic Caliphate. 
 
Here it is October of 2011. Libya has been under siege for several months now, and just in the last few days, Muammar Gaddafi was killed. Libya is now being declared a sharia-controlled nation. That means that there is a Caliph and a caliphate. This trend will continue, at least until the ten nations that join with the antichrist personage are intact and ready to act against Israel. While the possibility of global conflict on the street level exists, once Islam gains adequate numbers, Israel is undoubtedly the center of attention.

Here is a link to Muslim majority controlled nations. Wikipedia list of Muslim majority controlled countries

This link will give a list based on the population within a nation. Countries by Muslim population

Even Islam's teachings speak about a man with a head wound; they call him the Dajal, or Isa, or Jesus, depending upon who they talk to. 

A Muslim woman at work told me, “we believe in Jesus”. The problem is that the Islamic Jesus is not the Son of God, will not save anyone from sins, and is not taking anyone to heaven with him. He will be a Jewish Muslim and an enforcer of Sharia.

All the authority of ..

“It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, ” Revelation 13:12

Part of a series on the second beast of Revelation 13

This is not a centralized affair, and for many years I wished it would be. Even the CIA has deep concerns about cells within this "peaceful" nation of ours. This second beast is going to have a global impact as well. 

Having learned about Islam, and what they believe, this makes all the sense in the world to me. Just as the first beast arrives by demonstration and violence, the second demonstrates his right to be in power by showing off powerful signs too. This ability comes from Satan. Keep in mind that he has the horns of a lamb, therefore, initially, he will seem gentle, but when the right moment comes, Islam uses the term “on that day” just as our scriptures do, he will demonstrate that he is the enforcer. 

Islam has Major prophecies that they too lean upon. While “cultured folk” may have a mild interest in end times events, Muslim's have a belief and understanding of end times events ingrained in them from early childhood. One of the Major events they are aware of and awaiting is the advent of Jesus the son of Mary. This Jesus is not the son of God, but the creation of Allah through a spoken word., and they do not believe that he died on a cross, but was raised up by Allah before death (that eliminates his ability to be the purchase price of our salvation). Jesus, of Islam, will be a Jew of the lineage of Aaron. (Isn't that interesting.) And he (Jesus) will come riding upon a white horse, while carrying a bow. This is exactly what John saw, and happens to be about the only passage in our bibles that Islam accepts as fact.

Revelation 6:2 And I looked, and saw there a white horse whose rider carried a bow. And a crown was given him, and he rode forth conquering and to conquer.

If you are a student of Revelation then you know that the personage in this passage is NOT Jesus, but is a man of deception, destruction and war.

While the cowboy movies that we might have watched as kids always portrayed the good guy as riding a white horse, that is not the case here. White seems to symbolize justice and purity (and it does to the Islamic mindset), but the fact that he is carrying a bow demonstrates that he is coming to do some major damage. Folks, you have to remember that Satan, the deceiver, is copying everything God does, and he is doing it in dramatic fashion. Jesus told his disciples to watch for those who come in his name. That is exactly what is going on here. The man is a Jew, a Muslim, one who will bow to Muhammad, worship Allah, demonstrate powerful signs (Pharaoh's sorcerers copied virtually everything that Moses did), he will have access to the Temple (implying that he will be a priest, which is what Islam is looking for), and when all is said and done, he will kill those that oppose Islam, Christians, “People of the book”, or “people of the scriptures” Hindus, Buddhists, you name it. What book? The bible, even if it is a form of the bible.

He will demand that all non- Muslims worship what the beast represents, with the only alternative being death by beheading. If I am right, and I have no reason to not believe this is the way it will go down, Muslims, who worship Allah, the God of Muhammad's creation, will attempt to force those still alive to worship Allah too.

Revelation 13:16,17 Also it (the second beast) causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.

Even now non-Muslims, especially Christians living in Muslim nations the option to pay a jizyah tax (protection money, sort of like the Mafia) in order to buy or sell. Does this surprise you? It should begin to cause this passage to make a little more sense now. The concept of the mark is not new. Director Ridley Scott apparently portrayed the concept correctly in the movie Kingdom of Heaven; for the Islamic army is wearing the correct mark on them, stating in Arabic, there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger. While technology certainly could have its place at this time, I do not believe it is going to be that sophisticated. If the primary location of all this is in the middle east, it cannot be that complicated.

Some might sit back and laugh because they see this as merely the Christians, that have spoken out against ungodly behaviors, annoying people with their messages of salvation, finally getting taken out of the way. Don't you wish. Islam is just as adamant about a holy, righteous life, with few exceptions, like a Muslim man being able to beat his wife for no major reason. They have no place for adulterers, homosexuals, gamblers, and those that drink alcohol; in most cases the penalty is death. On that day, you who think you have an exclusion pass, what will you do, choose to serve the living God that you have been denying all these years. If you have not made provision to succeed now, why would you change your mind then. You won't and then you will take the easy way out, and follow Islam, pledging your allegiance to Allah. At that point you will have condemned yourself to eternal torment as a follower of Satan.

The following passages have to do with the second beast and his traits.

2Thessalonians 2:9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie,

Revelation 13:2 NIV The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon (Satan) gave the beast (this is the second beast) his power and his throne and great authority. Emphasis mine.

1John 2:22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist--denying the Father and the Son. 

 

1John 4:3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 

 

2John 1:7 I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.

Return to your first love

The Church at Ephesus

Revelation chapter 2

Revelation 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write,....

A little background

From Gill's commentary: a city of Ionia, and which Pliny calls (f) the work of the Amazons, and the light of Asia; it was famous for the temple of Diana, but more so for having a church of Christ in it: hither the Apostle Paul came and preached, and continued for the space of two years; where a very famous church was planted by him, and proper officers appointed, to whom he wrote a very excellent epistle: this is now a miserable desolate place, not a city, but a village; and is called by the Turks, Aiasalik: of this place and church; See Gill on Act_18:19, Act_20:17,

Acts 18:19 And he came to Ephesus,.... The metropolis of Asia; according to Pliny (c), it had been called by many names; at the time of the Trojan war, Alopes, then Ortygia and Morges, also Smyrna Trachea, Samornion and Prelea, and which he calls the work of the Amazons: some say (d) it was called Ephesus, because Hercules permitted the Amazons to dwell in it, Ephesus in the Greek language signifying "permission"; Pausanias (e) denies, that the famous temple in it was built by them, but by Ephesus the son of Caystrus, and says that from him the city had its name; though others say it was built by Androclus, the son of Codrus, king of Athens, in the time of David king of Israel; and that having suffered by the sea, it was rebuilt by Lysimachus king of Thrace, who called it after his wife's name Arsinoe; but he being dead, it was called by its ancient name Ephesus: it is now a poor village in the hands of the Turks, and with them goes by the name of Aiasalik; though with others it still has the name of Epheso; the Syriac version reads, "they came"; not only Paul, but Aquila and Priscilla; and certain it is that they came with him thither, since it follows, and left them there; unless this is to be understood of Cenchrea: this clause is not here read in the Syriac version, but is placed at the end of Act_18:21, where it reads much better; as that he should leave them at Ephesus, when he departed from thence, than when he first came thither; unless the sense is, that he left them in some part of the city, whilst he went to the Jewish synagogue; since it follows, but he himself entered into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews; concerning Jesus being the Messiah, and the abrogation of the law; and the doctrine of justification by the righteousness of Christ, and not by the deeds of the law: which were the principal things in debate, between him and the Jews: Beza's ancient copy reads, "and the sabbath following he left them there".

Keep in mind that Revelation itself is a book revealing Jesus. Jesus is who John is seeing, and it is Jesus that is speaking to him; speaking about “what was, what is, and what is to come.” Therefore God is speaking to these churches. It is a message that is specific, for as we can see from the background, already stated, that Ephesus effectively dissappeared off the map.

The words spoken over the churches are at first encouraging, for they point out some good aspect(s) prior to the delivery of the bad news.

Revelation 2:2-3 NIV I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. (3) You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

The bad news is:

Revelation 2:4-5 NIV Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. (5) Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

They only seem to get dinged on one point. The oddity here is, when you read the background information, the potential for many other accusations are there. Consider the pointed way God steers us through scripture and we do not get it. I am not surprised.

What is the one thing that Ephesus does that draws God's ire? “You have lost your first love.”

God's directive to them: Return to your first love or I will remove your candle stick from its place. John saw Jesus walking among the candlesticks in Heaven. Perhaps this scene is representational of our foundations, but on that I am not sure. After getting admonished to return to their first love what do they do? Nothing or too little.

Considerations:

What can define a first love?

• Excitement
• The desire to learn about the one your attentions are set upon.
• Passion
• Fire
• Love
• Sincere questioning as you learn about the other.
• Studying the other person, memorizing each line of the face (as an example).
• Enthusiasm
• Exploration

I am sure there are many more aspects, but now apply these ideas to the newness of our relationship with the Father. I will tell you, that as I pondered this I thought of my own experience in “coming to the Father”. I was raised in church. My mother would lay a blanket down behind the seats in the back row, and in many ways I literally grew up there. I came to know God as I came to talk, but in our thinking there must be a point in which you, with understanding, make a decision to follow him. I suspect I did that at about age 12. So many give their testimony how they, after a brutal life, came to know the Lord on a particular day; mine was not so dramatic. I think that it feels more like a family, which gets along somewhat, and there is no painful drama that makes you wish you born to someone else. Within this family there is an expression of love through actions and words. In my quiet times I can hear God telling me that He loves me, just as a father might. I had my attempts at a family and kids stripped away from me, but during the time that I had them I told them that I loved them, and that they were valuable.

The point in this is that when you are accustomed to loving environment, you may not see or feel the passions that are involved when you leave the nest and find love on your own. That takes me to my next point, and that is that we tend to associate a first love with a girlfriend or marriage.

Sadly, as so commonly happens within a marriage, we tend to lose our first love. Really? Or do we slowly decide that the things that made that exciting are just not worth the effort any more, as you shout out at your wife, “get me a beer”.

So then, the question is, how do you keep you love alive. This becomes important because God told this church to return to their first love. Obviously God and his Son were the basis of this.

An aspect of a first love is exploration. That means finding out what makes the other tick, and and eventually finding out the habits they already have, the good and the bad.

Yes, I have been married several times. Now that we are past that I can say my second wife was doing just that, when she asked me what kind of bread I liked, and what kind of toothpaste I used. Wow, I never really thought about the toothpaste thing, but I suppose that it is important, for some taste pretty odd. I answered her question with I will eat just about anything, but I prefer wheat bread. She then seemed shocked, so I asked her why. She had had a relationship with a young man who got very angry over having white bread in their “home”. The way I see it, starving people just eat.

Now God has no bad habits, but he does have a misunderstood reputation. If you are going to have a love relationship with the Father then I would think that it would be a requirement for you to find out who he really is. God is love, and when you have been damaged by people that requires some serious personal time, spent learning about, and building a relationship in which you can love him back. I have found that I respond to the realisation that his goodness is toward me, for no one has ever loved me the way he does; no one listens to me the way he does; no one talks to me the way he does, and no one has ever made me feel so wanted, the way he does.

Within a marriage there comes a point at which you must decide to keep love alive. How does that happen? You become accustomed and complacent. Do I really need to say “I love you” to her that much, if at all. She knows I love her, just look at those pots and pans I bought. Are you serious. Unless you are just an ignorant caveman that scratches his head with a club, then communication is essential. I cannot tell you how many times I have walked away from work depressed and emotionally spent, feeling little to no self-worth. And yes, suicidal at times. So to keep love alive requires that you overlook perceived faults, and look for those things that ignited you at the beginning, while thinking outside the box. This makes me think of a commercial in which the family looks at the table with dinner on it, and says, “ same thing again”. Did you constantly do the same things? No, you made life interesting.

I am so dismayed by people that are bold enough to tell God that he cannot act through people in certain manners. For example: tongues, interpretation, and essentially the gamut of the giftings of the Holy Spirit. I went up to a lady because I had heard of her, her questions she raised, and the lack of response from the leadership of that church. I spoke a few words to her that I felt the Holy Spirit had directed me to say, and then asked her if I could pray with her about the situation. The first thing she said to that request was “no ghost”. What are you talking about, and yet I knew the answer. She started to explain that she wanted no refence to the Holy Ghost. An odd thing about that, I already feel that way about the term because I am not finding it in scripture, but the negativity was almost overwhelming. To be honest, I wanted to walk away from her at that moment. I did not, but internally I was skeptical about her receiving anything. Sometimes you just do what you are told and let God do his. It all gets sorted out in the end.

We, as a church, seem to struggle with the concept blaspheming the Holy Spirit. People have serious concerns when they ask, either about themselves or someone else they think has condemned themselves to hell because of what they said or did. Jesus made it pretty clear when he was rebuking some pharisees for attributing the miracles, healings, and words that he had done and spoke, to the devil. In addressing the pharisees he told them that they were blaspheming when they were doing that, and in danger of hell itself. If we associate the acts of the Holy Spirit to something other than God then what makes us think that we are not doing the same thing when we try to restict God, because we have decided that He is inappropriate.

Make note: Even though this church was vibrant and alive, something happened and they “lost that loving feeling” (The Medley Brothers). God warned them to get it back, therefore it was something that they could get back, if they choose to, but they did not, and the fact that little to nothing exists of that metropolis today is a statement to the God whose word is true.

Some will argue that this letter is exclusive to the non-existant church body that met at Ephesus, but what if your wrong. What if every aspect of these churches exists within us today. One of the signs of His return is the falling away of the church; another translation is the rebellion. We as a church have lost our first love, we have fallen away, and we are in rebellion. What if God is telling us to return to our first love, and find that passion, fire, and desire to learn of him. Studying every wrinkle of his face.

But it spoke like a dragon

“but it spoke like a dragon” Revelation 13:11

Plain and simple, the dragon is Satan, and the deceiver.

Revelation 20:2 NIV He (Jesus) seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.

2 John 1:7 NIV I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.

If this character speaks like a dragon, then he is speaking like Satan, fully representing him. Now how would we know what that would be like? Take a look at Luke 4:6. Here Satan is tempting Jesus by offering him all the wealth of the world.

Luke 4:6 NIV And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.

Apparently Satan, with ease, offers up what looks good upon initial inspection, but scripture tells us that the world, and all that is in it, runs contrary to God. I find myself thinking about a show on television called “Holmes on Homes”. In it this man goes through homes that have been previously inspected and deemed good. On the outside they look fine, but serious problem begin to show up, and quickly; he points out the real problem. Isn't that the way things seem to happen when we play with the world?

Since God made the world perfect to begin with, then something had to have corrupted it. We know that as the fall of man. Man gave up his right to the earth when Adam committed treason, in the garden. Satan through deception became the owner / the one who now had dominion over it, and he immediately gained the right to disperse it however, and to whomever he chooses. Therefore Satan is not presenting himself as gloomy and poor, but glamorous and wealthy. Jesus, if you noticed, did not argue the point.

Revelation 20:7-8 NIV When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison (8) and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth--Gog and Magog--and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore.

2 Corinthians 11:14 NIV (14) And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.

Signs that we are to watch for regarding His coming.

Somewhat based on Pastor Chuck's blog. (Honestly, it has been a while, and I do not remember which Chuck I was referring to.)

Luke 21:6,7 "As to these things which ye are beholding, days are coming in which there shall not be left stone upon stone which shall not be thrown down. And they asked him saying, Teacher, when then shall these things be; and what is the sign when these things are going to take place?

What were the disciples looking at? 

The temple.

This is a parallel story to Matthew's account.

Matthew 24:1-3 Darby: " And Jesus went forth and went away from the temple, and his disciples came to him to point out to him the buildings of the temple. (2) And he answering said to them, Do ye not see all these things? Verily I say to you, Not a stone shall be left here upon a stone which shall not be thrown down. (3) And as he was sitting upon the mount of Olives the disciples came to him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be, and what is the sign of thy coming and the completion of the age?"

Consider that some time has passed, but in comparison to world literature this time frame is nothing. Matthew had firsthand experience with the Lord, and Luke is passing along second-hand information. Matthew's occupation would have meant taking notes in detail, and Luke, the doctor, was a detailed man also.

The first response out of Jesus' mouth, in Matthew's account, is, "see that no one mislead you."

Who was Jesus speaking to? 

His own followers, who we believe numbered about 120, but then there were almost always the twelve.

One of the immediate examples of deception may have been with Judas Iscariot. It is believed that his motive may not have been one of rebellion, but an attempt to motivate Jesus to act out in the role that Jewish zealots were looking for, a warrior king.

One of the things that demonstrates the parallel of these two accounts is the similarity in message.

Luke's account also shows Jesus' first response to the question about the temple as, "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is near.' Do not follow them."

Based upon the directive and apparent danger demonstrated by Jesus' statement, let's look at that.
Watch out that you are not deceived.

Deceive: To mislead the mind; to cause to err; to cause to believe what is false, or disbelieve what is true; to impose on; to delude.

Deception comes in so many ways. People will scream loudly about how corrupting some movie is, but the oddity is that the thing they are screaming about is so obvious that it is ridiculous. 

Although I cannot remember the name of the movie, there was one that portrayed Jesus as a homosexual; I did not waste my time watching it. 

Have I watched alien movies? 

Yes, I think they are fun, no less fun than Star Trek. 

Do I need to be careful? 

 You bet, for Star Trek was designed to convey the idea that man was good and did not need God. It also filled my mind with concepts about God that, even all these years later, force me to READ my Bible so that I can see the true image of the almighty, and I have found Him to be more merciful than I ever imagined.

What is really scary about deception is the subtle things. Think about what makes a magician good at his craft: deception. They do not saw anyone in half; you go to prison for doing that, but they will draw your attention away from the truth.

Yes, I have watched the Ellen DeGeneres show, and yes, I am aware that she is a proclaimed lesbian and an advocate of alternative lifestyles; she is also funny. 

Does that mean that I follow her advice, or worship her? No.

Oprah Winfrey told people that she was raised in church, and yet advocated that all people have God within them, are good, and need to look inwardly, instead of upwardly, for the answers. She seemed to do good things for impoverished children in Africa, and a few here in America, so it is difficult to ascertain if she is doing anything blatantly harmful. You see, here may be an example of such subtlety that people easily get sucked into. 

Why? 

Because she is believable, likeable, powerful, and well-spoken.

Jesus said, "For many will come in my name."
This is not as obvious as it seems. 

One of the things that I became accustomed to, growing up in church, was the prophetic. I am not afraid of prophecy, because Scripture tells me that Jesus' actions and His word are the Spirit of prophecy. He, by the way, came to save me, not destroy me, and that is the message that some prophets want to convey. 

The problem with the prophetic was delivery. 

Was the heart of the message sincere? 

The habit, learned from listening to someone else, I suppose, was to tag it immediately with "Thus Saith the Lord", when really the delivery person should have said, "this is how I feel about it."

The deception involved with such a statement is that the hearer, if they are not attuned to the Word, it

(Folks, I am going to throw this in for free. God has said all that he needs to say through the scriptures. Scripture answers every question, and speaks to every moment in life. So for someone to get weird and creative is just pushing their luck and yours. I have ventured out in giving words to the church body, and people publicly. I cannot remember a time when you could not have found the things that God had me convey to the hearer in Scripture. I personally think that is very cool, for it takes tremendous pressure off me, I do not have to get creative, and it is the safest things to do. Delivery can give the words a negative impact upon the hearer, but the Holy Spirit will smooth that out with practice. God brought you through life, scarred and all, to make you the person that you are today for a reason. Should you respond to his call and give a word to someone, there is no way that you are not going to have a piece of your personality involved. And do not think that God is unaware of that fact. It might be the primary reason he spoke to you about giving that word out.)

forces the untrained ear to attribute somebody else's junk with an importance that it does not deserve. 

If God wanted your attention, it could come in a whisper; it will typically verify what you already perceived in your spirit and will usually touch you deeply. 

There is no deception involved or needed.

What this coming in my name could imply is a veil of religion. 

Religion often cloaks itself to look like a godly thing. 

The Christian Science "church" near me has meetings to teach on spirituality, awareness of the god in you, and they even have an "uplifting service", but they do not teach that one needs to accept the King of Glory into their life as the one who purchased life for them, and that he is coming back again.

Claiming 'I am he'
For a short time, here on a local radio station, there was a man who had the Jesus Christ radio show. He spoke as though he was Jesus, and would say things like, "when I did the miracle of changing the water into wine this is what I was saying". He seemed to be very knowledgeable with scripture, but just the fact that he portrayed himself as Christ was certainly off, and at the very least dangerous. Outside of this character, I have never heard of anyone so stupid as to do that, and yet Jesus said it was important for us to watch out for. 

How is that even possible?

People may demonstrate power; Santeria priests and voodoo witch doctors demonstrate power (Isn't it odd that in church we deny God any power?), and yet they do not claim to be the Christ.

There is only one that concerns me, and I believe should be taken very seriously, ISLAM. 

The Qur'an teaches, and their prophets have spoken it, that one will come named Jesus Christ. 

Now why is that odd? 

We people "of the book", as Islam refers to us, should know that, for Jesus told us himself he would come again.

The Islamic Jesus Christ, we know him as the anti-Christ, is:
1. A Jew - That should get somebody's attention, for Islam proclaims that the Jew is the enemy. 

Those who oppose Islam are the enemy. Those who acknowledge Islam, proclaiming Allah to be the true god, and Mohammed as his messenger, can serve a purpose under Islamic rule. The fact that he is a Jew adds a heightened sense of awareness to me, and it should to you too. 

Scripture tells us that the antichrist deceives even the elect. 

Who are the elect?

Jesus' response was to Jews, and he spoke words that they were meant to understand. Jesus was talking about Jews, mentally and morally superior Jews, who will be deceived by this person.

2. Islam says he will come on a white horse. 

There is only one scripture in the bible that they will agree upon, and it is this, for they believe it speaks of the Jesus Christ of Islam and fulfills their prophecy, not ours.

Revelation 6:1-2 NIV:  "I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!" (2) I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest."

This rider does not come to save; he comes to conquer. 

He does not come with a sword in his mouth; he has a bow, and this does not imply redemption in any form; it is unleashed deception, along with punishment.

Those that wish to fight with me on this point will say something like, this is a depiction of Jesus coming in glory, riding a noble steed, to conquer his enemies at the end of the world. 

I responded with, Isn't deception a scary thing? 

For if you believe that, then you have not invested any time whatsoever in reading the Scriptures, for you would know that Jesus will come in the clouds, land on the Mount of Olives, split that hill in two, and out of his mouth will come a sword to slay his enemies. 

He, Jesus Christ, the risen one (which, by the way, Islam does not believe in), will arrive at the end of the seven years of Great Tribulation to judge the earth's inhabitants. 

Surprisingly, he will show more mercy than you ever thought was possible.

Read what Islam says about Jesus and the Antichrist.

Jesus in Islam: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

- In Islam, Jesus (Arabic: عيسى ʿĪsā) is considered to be a Messenger of God and the Masih (Messiah) who was sent to guide the Children of Israel (banī isrā'īl) with a new scripture, the Injīl or Gospel.[1]

- The belief in Jesus (and all other messengers of God) is required in Islam, and a requirement of being a Muslim. The Qur'an mentions Jesus twenty-five times, more often, by name, than Muhammad.[2][3]

- It states that Jesus was born to Mary (Arabic: Maryam) as the result of virginal conception, a miraculous event which occurred by the decree of God (Arabic: Allah).

- To aid in his ministry to the Jewish people, Jesus was given the ability to perform miracles (such as healing the blind, bringing dead people back to life, etc.), all by the permission of God rather than of his own power.

- According to the popular opinion and Muslim traditions, Jesus was not crucified but instead, he was raised up by God unto the heavens. This "raising" is understood to mean through bodily ascension.

- Muslims believe that Jesus will return to earth near the day of judgment to restore justice and to defeat Masih ad-Dajjal ("the false messiah", also known as the Antichrist).[4][5]

- Like all prophets in Islam, Jesus is considered to have been a Muslim (i.e., one who submits to the will of God), as he preached that his followers should adopt the "straight path" as commanded by God. 

 - Islam rejects the Christian view that Jesus was God incarnate or the son of God, that he was ever crucified or resurrected, or that he ever atoned for the sins of mankind. The Qur'an says that Jesus himself never claimed any of these things, and it furthermore indicates that Jesus will deny having ever claimed divinity at the Last Judgment, and God will vindicate him.[6]

- The Qur'an emphasizes that Jesus was a mortal human being who, like all other prophets, had been divinely chosen to spread God's message. Islamic texts forbid the association of partners with God (shirk), emphasizing a strict notion of monotheism (tawhīd).

 - Numerous titles are given to Jesus in the Qur'an and in Islamic literature, the most common being al-Masīḥ ("the messiah". Jesus is also, at times, called "Seal of the Israelite Prophets", because, in general Muslim belief, Jesus was the last prophet sent by God to guide the Children of Israel. 

- Jesus is seen in Islam as a precursor to Muhammad, and is believed by Muslims to have foretold the latter's coming.[5][7]

If you have read this information taken from Wikipedia, provided by Islam in an effort to provide you with the truth about their so-called peaceful religion, you noticed a reference to the Antichrist, the Islamic Dajjal. 

Our scriptures tell us that there will be two, not one,  prophet standing in the street prophesying in the last days. Islam considers these to be the Antichrist. 

Why? 

Because they speak out against the deception that Islam will be spreading. Their version of Jesus will slay these two. Again, if you have done your homework, you know that after three days these two prophets come to life again. What a shocker that will be.

You will have also noticed many things that will cause a tremendous number of people to question their beliefs.

How could it be that Jesus Christ could be a Muslim? 

Many will believe that it was all a lie and fall into the trap of Satan himself.

This is not about a man or a religion; this is about the deceiver of the world, Satan. 

If you have read this and become angry, then you need to know that your anger needs to be redirected, and you need to pray that God opens people's hearts and minds to receive him. 

People need to be aware that the end is upon us.

10 Things You Need to Know about…Islamic Law (Shariah) | Fighting Radical Islam

10 Things You Need to Know about…Islamic Law (Shariah) | Fighting Radical Islam

What are we waiting for?

My former pastor, (he moved on to another church, and I miss him.) informed us, on Facebook, that he was going to start a new blog on the end times. This is a passion for me and so I responded with “bring it on”.

The second blog he put up seemed to indicate that there are two predominant signs that must be seen before Jesus comes to catch us away.

Look at the verses with me.:

2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 NIV (1) Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, (2) not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us--whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter--asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. (3) Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.

Something important that might aid you in your understanding of end times events. All throughout scripture you will find the phrase “that day” or “the day”. Most of the time it has reference to the Lord Jesus Christ's physical reappearance on the earth. That day he will return to set things straight. He will come with a fury. He will come against those who have refused him, and he will judged those upon the earth. Take a look at Zechariah 14: 4,5.

Now when Paul uses the terminology “the day” as he did here in the Thessalonian letter, he is talking about the time before Christs return to the Mount of Olives, in which Jesus comes with a trumpet blast, remains in the air, and calls those of us who remain on this earth to meet him in the air. We, the church, have gotten comfortable using the term Rapture. That term is not in our bibles. It is a Latin term and only found in the Vulgate translation. The term in the Vulgate is Rapio. What we do have is: harpazō ; to seize (in various applications): - catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force).

The two signs, based upon Thessalonians are:

1. The apostasy
2. The entrance of the anti-Christ on the scene.

The Apostasy – It means a falling away or rebellion. Our understanding of the meaning really depends upon the parameters does not.

Even though a majority of this nation calls themselves Christian, most have no interest in accepting the name of Jesus Christ as their own. Most churches preach a politically correct message, choosing not to offend, and still try to draw people to a generalized message of goodness.

A local Methodist church, that I drive by, sponsored a religious unity day. They put up a sign inviting people of all faiths to come. Islam, Buddhist, Baha’i, Catholic, and Jews; all were welcome.

What would they unite upon? Certainly not Jesus Christ, the risen one, God's son. Perhaps they could focus on some aspect of God that leads back to the Son. After all, God so loved the world that He sent his only Son. Well, that is not going to happen. There is really only one thing that all can have some form of agreement upon, and that is a goodness aside from God, for everyone wants peace within their own little world. 

But there is a problem with that! For any manner of goodness is based upon an absolute moral authority which requires that you accept that there is one who sets the standards and boundaries, and that would be God. Many believe that they are capable of doing this on their own.

Assuming you preach peace based upon Jesus Christ, the Muslim ear, which agrees that there is a person named Jesus Christ, is appalled at the concept of him being a son of God. To them, god (Allah) is entirely pure, and uncorrupted by a woman, therefore it is ludicrous and insulting to imply anything else.

That means our agreement then seems to be limited to the possibility that man can be self-governing, because, again, the world wants to think that man is inherently good. Merely watching the growth of a child will teach you otherwise, for we are all born into a broken condition.

If apostasy means rebellion, then what meaning does the word, as Paul used it, take on?

The majority of the world has rejected and turned their backs upon the Creator. Perhaps we can call that rebellion. Makes sense when you consider that God forgave the sins of the entire world.

What then is God waiting for, things to get worse?

Doesn't rebellion imply that those who may have been on your side previously have turned against you?

Consider this: Daniel 11 starting at verse 29 describes “the King of the North” showing favor to those who forsake the Holy Covenant. Rebels!

There is a key to this in light of Christ's coming to catch us away, and the day of the Lord.

1. The “day of the Lord” here in Daniel, has to do with Jesus physically touching down upon this earth, to bring about judgment.
2. This passage of scripture appears to happen after the harpazo (or rapture.)

This brings me to the second point, and that is that pastor says “Christ cannot come until the entrance of the anti-Christ. Whether he is called this or not is irrelevant, but his physical person would have to be here. In one sense we do not have to wait for any fulfillment on this, for even John tells us that many anti-Christs have come already.

If you will read this in 2Thesalonians you will probably agree with me that the timing is extremely tight.

Ask yourself this question: If the Lord Jesus pulled us out of here today, could everything else in scripture begin to fall immediately into place? If you are saying yes then I suggest that you making this harder than it needs to be.

I will give you an example:

1. The mark of the beast.
   A. The beast, a spirit, must possess and move a man into a place of power quickly. There are a number of characters that could fulfill that, but Islam believes wholeheartedly in prophecy and end times events as well, and they expect this person, we call the beast to come as the Mahdi. While they believe their prophecies to be somewhat interpretive, you will find that they run somewhat parallel, and close to what Christianity believes, in many ways.
   Islam believes that Mahdi is prescribed to be 40 years, and a descendant of Mohammed. Until recently, when the US blew this most recent Al Queada operative, up in Yemen, he fit many of these aspects.
   B. The mark – of the beast. English interpretations have butchered this concept so badly, no wonder we have been confused. Scriptures started out as preservation of documents and letters, and were initially written in Aramaic and Septuagint Greek, on skins and clay tablets. There is a man, named Walid Shoebat, a former terrorist, now a Christian, who in giving his testimony, tells how he reading in the scriptures in Aramaic, his native tongue, comes to the place that speaks of the mark. It says “and his mark shall be the number of a man”. In Aramaic it is spelled out clearly “There is no god but Allah, and Mohammed is his messenger.” Mr. Shoebat, even expounded upon this idea by pointing out how a fairly recent movie conveyed this same message when they wore headbands and armbands that read: “There is no god but Allah, and Mohammed is his messenger. To the English speaking mind the symbols that convey this message look very similar to a string to 6's.

I strongly believe that technology, though a possibility, is not nearly as important to this scenario as people think. Scripture tells us that the “saints” will be beheaded for their testimony. While that is certainly happening today, I can see where we might get one of our concepts that make us believe that the Church goes through the tribulation, for it is God that is calling the beheaded, Saints. We, in our narrow minds, attribute this to Christianities suffering on behalf of the Lord.

Jesus paid our price; get that straight. Either he was enough or not. If not, then there is no salvation, and all we do is waste of time. What we do have is a God whose mercies extend beyond our limitations to people that most of us currently condemn. Think about it, Latter Day Saints, who will not accept Jesus Christ as the price for their freedom, study voraciously. Mormons; advocates of strong families, study voraciously. There has to be others, who on the verge of recognition of Christ as Lord, will be the evangelists of that day.

Islam declares those who call themselves Christians, to be “people of the Book”. Muslims are taught from an early age to hate those who oppose Islam, especially people of the Book.

Spend some time studying the scriptures and you will come to realize that the Holy Spirit is not taken off the earth for many continue to acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Lord. You will also find that an Angel flies around the earth, broadcasting the message of Jesus Christ, and salvation.

I wish I could tell you that the Great Tribulation will be exclusive to the middle east, but Islam is bringing ideals and message into your neighborhood. There is no separation between Islam and fanatical Islam, for it is merely Islam, and what they do and believe is all in the Qu'ran. 

The Qu'ran teaches and advocates lying, especially with the infidels of the book. My own mother felt she had to respond to this statement, with a story of a family friend who married a Muslim man, and he does interfere with her beliefs.

What would make a situation like this so dangerous? If you are permitted to live a justified lie, while waiting for the appropriate time to act, which is precisely what the Qu'ran teaches, this Muslim man could under the guise of Sharia law kill this woman for Apostasy. 

 

There is that word Apostasy again, but this time Islam sees the woman as trying to convert a Muslim and provides for her to be stoned or beheaded. As a side note here. There is no equality or fairness when it comes to sentencing. If a man and woman are caught in adultery the man is buried up to his waist, his arms and hands are free, and if he can dig himself out before he is killed he is free to go. The woman on the other hand is completely bound, buried up to her shoulders and stoned until dead.

Germany has allowed Sharia law such a foothold that recently they unable to prosecute a Muslim man for killing his, justifiable by Sharia law, his religious right.

Here is the point, if I have not made it. The Apostasy is upon us, and it is getting worse by the minute. I believe that the man who will take on the role of the beast exists and lives among us. Islam believes this too. We have seen the tree produce leaves and bud, therefore our sign that the season is upon us has come. Be alert, and pray.