12/12/12-What If It Were Today-Are You Ready?

With today being 12/12/12, many people around the world are buzzing about the significance (if any) to this day. With the end of the Mayan calendar approaching on 12/21, people are asking if this is the "End of Days."

Here are just a few samples of what people around the world are talking about today.

* A Fox News headline reads: "With mere days to ‘doomsday,’ scientists call for calm."

* The Detroit Free Press has a story called: "Mayan doomsday or not, all eyes on Dec. 21."

* A headline in one British newspaper reads: "Doomsayers await the end of the world: But governments try to reassure their citizens not to panic."

* A headline in another British paper reads: "Mayan apocalypse: panic spreads as December 21 nears: Fears that the end of the world is nigh have spread across the world with only days until the end of the Mayan calendar, with doomsday-mongers predicting a cataclysmic end to the history of Earth."

* An Asian news site has a story called: "End of the world: There are only nine days left."

* Another Asian news service is running this headline: "Doomsday phobia hits China."

* Many are watching (or re-watching) the recent film, 2012.
To be clear: the Bible says nothing about 12/12/12. Nor does it say anything about the Mayan calendar. The prophecies in Scripture, however, do speak a great deal about the End of Days, known as the "last days" and the "latter times." In several of my books -- including Implosion: Can America Recover From Its Economic & Spiritual Challenges In Time? -- I examine a number of these prophecies and consider their implications for the U.S., Israel, and other nations.

To be honest, the Earth is not literally coming to an end this month. The Bible does say the earth will be destroyed someday, and then He will create a new earth. "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away," wrote the Apostle John in a prophecy about the future found in Revelation 21:1. The Apostle Peter wrote, "The heavens will pass aways with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up." (2 Peter 3:10). 

But four major prophetic events happen before the literal destruction and recreation of our planet: 

• 1) the Rapture; 
• 2) the Tribulation, a seven year period of God's judgment; 
• 3) the Second Coming of Christ; and 
• 4) the "Millennial Kingdom," a thousand year period in which Christ reigns over the entire earth. 

At the present moment, if the Rapture were to take place today, we are at least 1,007 years away from the end of the earth.

A question that many are asking today is, "does the Bible teach about the second coming of Jesus and something called “the Rapture?"

The Bible describes two separate and distinct future events, both of which are often described as the Second Coming. The first event is what Bible scholars call the Rapture. In 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, the apostle Paul writes that “the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.” In this passage, Paul is describing an event in which Jesus Christ will not physically, literally touch down on the earth but will first come “in the clouds” and snatch away His true followers from the earth in an instant of time. Those who have not chosen to follow Christ, those who have not been “born again,” will remain behind on the earth and will have to go through a terrible time of wars, famines, natural disasters, and divine judgments known as the Tribulation.

The second event occurs at the end of the Tribulation. This is when the Bible teaches that Jesus will physically, literally return to earth, destroy His enemies, and set up His own righteous government based in Jerusalem. He will reign on earth for one thousand years. In Revelation 19:11–20:6, the apostle John writes, “I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. . . . He will rule [the nations]. . . . And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and he threw him into the abyss. . . . And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God . . . and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. . . . Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection. . . . They will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.”

Another question is, "Are there any signs that will indicate when the return of Jesus Christ is close at hand, and if so, what are they?"

One day while Jesus and His disciples were sitting on the Mount of Olives, overlooking the city of Jerusalem, the disciples asked Him this very question. Their query is recounted in Matthew 24:3.

“Tell us,” they said, “what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”

Jesus could have refused to answer the question. Instead, He answered them at great length and detail. His answers are recorded in Matthew chapter 24 and in Luke chapter 21, and they provide a checklist of signs to watch for. Among them:

• Revolutions (Luke 21:9, NIV)
• The rise of false prophets and false messiahs (Matthew 24:4-5, 11, 23-27)
• Wars and rumors of wars (Matthew 24:6)
• Nations rising against nations (Matthew 24:7)
• Kingdoms rising against kingdoms (Matthew 24:7)
• Famines (Matthew 24:7)
• Plagues (Luke 21:11)
• Earthquakes (Matthew 24:7) and “great earthquakes” (Luke 21:11)
• “Terrors” that lead to “men fainting from fear” (Luke 21:11, 26)
• Persecution of the believers (Matthew 24:9)
• Apostasy and betrayal of one another (Matthew 24:10)
• Increasing lawlessness (Matthew 24:12)
• People’s love for one another growing cold (Matthew 24:12)
• “The roaring of the sea and the waves” (Luke 21:25)
• The good news (the gospel) of Christ’s love and forgiveness will be preached “in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations”—even Muslim nations, even Radical nations—“and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14)

Jesus cautioned His followers not to speculate on the exact time of the Rapture or the Second Coming. In Matthew 24:36, He said that “of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.” But “day and hour” is a very narrow slice of time. By giving us at least fifteen other specific signs that would be happening in the last days, Jesus clearly wanted us to know when the time of His return was rapidly approaching.

Why? He gave the answer in Matthew 24:42, when He said, “Therefore, be on the alert.” He reinforced the point in the next verse, when again He urged His followers to be “on the alert.” In Matthew 24:44, He stressed this critical point for a third time. “You also must be ready,” He insisted, “for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.”

Followers of Jesus Christ who study these signs are coming to the conclusion that they are being fulfilled today and that we are, in fact, living in the last days. They are, after all, living through revolutions, wars and rumors of wars, and horrifying persecution, for starters.

They have no idea precisely when Jesus will return, of course. But given how closely world events are tracking with Bible prophecy, they find themselves increasingly motivated to “be ready” by living lives of holiness, by sharing the gospel with Muslims and nominal Christians, by making disciples of all nations, and by planting new church congregations throughout the region.

That said, a final thought: while this month will not see the literal end of the world, is it theoretically possible that the Rapture could happen this month, even on 12/12/12? It is possible. I'm not saying it will happen that way. I have no idea. No one but God knows when the Ratpure will happen. But it could happen at any time. We should, therefore, be ready at any moment. How about you? Are you ready?

Coming Into The Midnight Hour?

The past few weeks, I haven't done a lot because of vacation, and the news was changing everyday. But I have been studying in Ezekiel and share the following thought. Feel free to pass on.

Ezekiel 28:20-26 (KJV)
20 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
21 Son of man, set thy face against Zidon, and prophesy against it,
22 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Zidon; and I will be glorified in the midst of thee: and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her.
23 For I will send into her pestilence, and blood into her streets; and the wounded shall be judged in the midst of her by the sword upon her on every side; and they shall know that I am the LORD.
24 And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel, nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them, that despised them; and they shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
25 Thus saith the Lord GOD; When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the people among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, then shall they dwell in their land that I have given to my servant Jacob.
26 And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the LORD their God.

God says, "I intend to regather Israel." Satan cannot disturb His plan and program with the children of Israel. Neither can any theologian today dismiss God's plan to restore Israel to the land in peace. One reason that so many theologians are believed when they say that God is through with the nation Israel is because God's people are not acquainted with Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, the minor prophets, and Revelation. The theme song of these prophets is that God is not through with Israel as a nation. For this reason they should be studied. They throw new light on the Word of God so that it is no longer a jigsaw puzzle, but everything falls into place.

Neither has the Church (replacement theology) taken over the place of the nation of Israel.
There is a powerful movement afoot called Replacement Theology which states that the church is Israel and the promises given to Israel were primarily for the church. This movement is incurring the wrath of God, as it increasingly condemns the nation of Israel as illegitimate, which is natural for folks who
believe the church has replaced Israel. Even among those who still hold to Israel to one degree or another, there seems to be a propensity for yanking Old Testament promises out of the Bible
-- and, I might add, out of context -- and indiscriminately applying them to modern church situations.


In verse 25. God says, "When I shall have gathered the house of Israel"—God was talking about their  long captivity. During this time of captivity, God had been preparing the land for them so as to make it a safe dwelling; and hence he executed judgments on all the heathen nations round about by means of the Chaldeans. Thus Tyre and Sidon were destroyed, as were the Ammonites and others who had been the inveterate enemies of the Jews. Judgment first began at his own house, then proceeded to the
heathen nations; and when they were brought down, then he visited and redeemed his people. Thus God's ways are proved to be all equal; partialities and caprices belong not to him.

God will be glorified in the restoration of his people to their former safety and prosperity. God had been dishonoured by the sins of his people, and their sufferings too had given occasion to the enemy to blaspheme (Isaiah 52:5); but God will now both cure them of their sins and ease them of their troubles, and so will be sanctified in them in the sight of the heathen, will recover the honour of his holiness, to the satisfaction of all the world, v. 25. For,

(1.) They shall return to the possession of their own land again: I will gather the house of Israel out of their dispersions, in answer to that prayer (Psa. 106:27), Save us, O Lord our God! and gather us from among the heathen; and in pursuance of that promise (Deu. 30:4), Thence will the Lord thy God gather thee. Being gathered, they shall be brought in a body, to dwell in the land that I have given to my servant Jacob. God had an eye to the ancient grant, in bringing them back, for that remained in force, and the discontinuance of the possession was not a defeasance of the right. He that gave it will again give it.

This happened in May 14, 1948, by the Balfour Declaration. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balfour_Declaration

The next is future.

(2.) They shall enjoy great tranquillity there. When those that have been vexatious to them are taken off they shall live in quietness; there shall be no more a pricking brier nor a grieving thorn, v. 24. They shall have a happy settlement, for they shall build houses, and plant vineyards; and they shall enjoy a happy security and serenity there; they shall dwell safely, shall dwell with confidence, and there shall be none to disquiet them or make them afraid, v. 26. This never had full accomplishment in the body of that people, for after their return out of captivity they were ever and anon molested by some bad neighbour or other. Nor has the gospel-church been ever quite free from pricking briers and grieving thorns; yet sometimes the church has rest, and believers always dwell safely under the divine protection and may be quiet from the fear of evil. But the full accomplishment of this promise is reserved for the heavenly Canaan, when all the saints shall be gathered together, and every thing that offends shall be removed, and all griefs and fears for ever banished.

One needs to take note of Luke 21.
Luke 21:20-32 (KJV)
20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
21 Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
23 But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

What are we to believe about psychics, the paranormal, ghosts, and hauntings?

Is there such a thing as ghosts? The answer to this question depends on what precisely is meant by the term “ghosts.” If the term means “spirit beings,” the answer is a qualified “yes.” If the term means “spirits of people who have died,” the answer is “no.” The Bible makes it abundantly clear that there are spirit beings, both good and evil. But the Bible negates the idea that the spirits of deceased human beings can remain on earth and “haunt” the living.

Hebrews 9:27 declares, “Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.” That is what happens to a person’s soul-spirit after death—judgment. The result of this judgment is heaven for the believer (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23) and hell for the unbeliever (Matthew 25:46; Luke 16:22-24). There is no in-between. There is no possibility of remaining on earth in spirit form as a “ghost.” If there are such things as ghosts, according to the Bible, they absolutely cannot be the disembodied spirits of deceased human beings.

The Bible teaches very clearly that there are indeed spirit beings who can connect with and appear in our physical world. The Bible identifies these beings as angels and demons. Angels are spirit beings who are faithful in serving God. Angels are righteous, good, and holy. Demons are fallen angels, angels who rebelled against God. Demons are evil, deceptive, and destructive. According to 2 Corinthians 11:14-15, demons masquerade as “angels of light” and as “servants of righteousness.” Appearing as a “ghost” and impersonating a deceased human being definitely seem to be within the power and abilities that demons possess.

The closest biblical example of a “haunting” is found in Mark 5:1-20. A legion of demons possessed a man and used the man to haunt a graveyard. There were no ghosts involved. It was a case of a normal person being controlled by demons to terrorize the people of that area. Demons only seek to “kill, steal, and destroy” (John 10:10). They will do anything within their power to deceive people, to lead people away from God. This is very likely the explanation of “ghostly” activity today. Whether it is called a ghost, a ghoul, or a poltergeist, if there is genuine evil spiritual activity occurring, it is the work of demons.

What about instances in which “ghosts” act in “positive” ways? What about psychics who claim to summon the deceased and gain true and useful information from them? Again, it is crucial to remember that the goal of demons is to deceive. If the result is that people trust in a psychic instead of God, a demon will be more than willing to reveal true information. Even good and true information, if from a source with evil motives, can be used to mislead, corrupt, and destroy.

Interest in the paranormal is becoming increasingly common. There are individuals and businesses that claim to be “ghost-hunters,” who for a price will rid your home of ghosts. Psychics, séances, tarot cards, and mediums are increasingly considered normal. Human beings are innately aware of the spiritual world. Sadly, instead of seeking the truth about the spirit world by communing with God and studying His Word, many people allow themselves to be led astray by the spirit world. The demons surely laugh at the spiritual mass-deception that exists in the world today.

Christian Persecution In America?

Over the past few weeks, I have been caught up in all the rhetoric of the debates, and all the lies going around, really from both sides. In the midst, I came across an article concerning religious persecution in America.

If you think these are just stories, you need to read on.

Throughout 2012, numerous incidents have been making headlines pertaining to the persecution of Christians in America. Some believe that persecution is on the rise, and that matters will only continue to get worse across the country on both the federal and local levels.

While circumstances have not escalated to the intensity taking place in countries such as Nigeria, where Christians are being mass murdered and their churches set on fire by the Islamic group Boko Haram, or North Korea, where thousands of believers are being held in prison camps for their faith in Christ, many note that persecution is here nonetheless.July of this year, Jesse Boyd of Full Proof Gospel Ministries, a missionary to Southeast Asia, was placed under arrest while witnessing at an Independence Day celebration in Holly Ridge, North Carolina. Ricky Springer, a friend of Boyd’s, had been preaching to attendees, while Boyd quietly distributed tracts and filmed Springer preaching. After an intoxicated crowd member began to take issue with the preaching, Officer Keith Whaley approached and demanded that Springer cease and desist his activities.

Boyd then attempted to assist Springer by asking Whaley what law was being violated, but Boyd stated that Whaley refused to provide an answer. When Chief John Maiorano returned with Whaley and still refused to provide answers, then walked away in a huff, Boyd called out to the officers, “This is the USA, not the Soviet Union. Shame on you, you need to repent . . . I am not disrespecting you; I respect your office, but not your manner. This is America.”

Upon uttering the word “repent,” Boyd was taken into custody and jailed. He was released on $500 bond and charged with disorderly conduct for using “abusive language” against police that “incites violence.”

Days later, the charge against Boyd was dismissed by District Attorney Ernie Lee, citing Boyd’s First Amendment right to free speech.

In August of this year, Mike Stockwell of Cross Country evangelism was cited in Philadelphia for disorderly conduct when a female heckler exposed her breasts as he was preaching.

Lieutenant Thomas McLean immediately grabbed into Stockwell to stop him from preaching. Officer Thomas Ohm concurred that Stockwell should be cited over the woman’s response to his message.

“You’re drawing a crowd, and that young lady exposing herself, that ended it. Once you cross that boundary of freedom of speech in drawing a malicious or out-of-order crowd, that’s when we have to stop it,” Ohm outlined.

The woman was the sole individual that interrupted Stockwell that night.

“I thought it was ridiculous,” Stockwell told Christian News Network. “What was I doing that was disorderly?”

Ohm informed Stockwell that if he continued in his activities, he would go to jail, at least for a few hours, if not the weekend.

In September, six Christians in New Orleans, Lousiana were arrested for violating a city ordinance that restricted them from preaching on the infamous Bourbon Street after sunset. The street is generally quiet during the day, and is the center of nightlife after dark.

Pastor Troy Bohn of RAVEN Ministries told Christian News Network that as one of the men were being placed in handcuffs, he heard a sergeant give the order, “Be sure to find out what church they are with because we are going to start going after these churches.”

“It kind of chilled me,” he stated. “Are we the threat preaching Jesus? No, I kind of like to think that we are holding back the darkness.”

Three of the six Christians were then cited with violating the ordinance, which carries a maximum penalty of a $500 fine and six months imprisonment.

While one of the Christians arrested, Kelsey Bohn, obtained a temporary restraining order against the ordinance, the three that were cited still face a court date on October 31st.

Earlier this month, six Christians in Jersey City, New Jersey all received citations for engaging in free speech activity without a permit. They were prohibited from preaching effectively or distributing tracts without first obtaining government permission.

The Jersey City Police Department also stated that because members of the public were upset with the message being proclaimed, the officers had a right to prevent potential violence. They stated that in such cases, police protocol is to disperse the crowd and silence the speaker.

All six Christians await a hearing on November 23rd.

In using Ordinances to stop house meetings, one of the largest and most noted cases this year was the imprisonment of Michael Salman of Phoenix, Arizona, for holding private worship services in a building that he constructed in his back yard.

Salman states that he was told by the city that he could not hold Bible studies in his home without converting it into an official church, which at first, he attempted to do.

“Bible studies are not allowed to be conducted in your residence or the barn on your property as these structures do not comply with the construction code for this use,” one letter from the city stated, which Salman presented in an online video. Another letter from Assistant Development Services Director Robert J. Goodhue, now retired, outlined, “…Bible studies are not allowed in the residence… The simple and direct answer [as to why] is that the Bible study use requires a change of occupancy.”

Salman spent sixty days in jail this summer, and was released last month after serving his sentence. At last report, he was serving house arrest for holding the worship services with family and friends on his 4.6 acre property without comporting with commercial standards.

In June, a couple in San Juan Capistrano, California had been fined $300 for violating the city’s zoning ordinance, which prohibits “religious, fraternal or non-profit [home] gatherings” of 4 or more people without a permit. However, due to the public outcry over the case, the city council changed its zoning code to remove penalties against those who host home Bible studies without government permission.

In July, the home of Keith Mason, president of Personhood USA was vandalized by pro-abortion protesters who despised his stand for life.


Profanity and images of coat hangers were spray painted all over the siding of the house, and a large rock was thrown at the front door, shattering glass onto the porch and throughout the living room. The children’s toys and items for the new baby were covered in shards of glass.

Two days later, Everett Stadig, a volunteer with Personhood USA, was attacked while collecting signatures for the pro-life organization outside of a local grocery store. Stadig, who suffered multiple injuries, was hurt so severely that he had to be hospitalized, including for a broken hip.

In August, Christian News Network reported on a street preacher named Gene Duffy, who was threatened with a knife and gun by two bystanders that despised his message.

Duffy, 67, said that he was singing Christian songs with his guitar on an outparcel near the Semmes, Alabama Wal-Mart when he was approached by Sandra Jarman, 53, who was wielding a knife, and Jesse Reid, 26, who was carrying a pistol. The two began to rail on Duffy that they did not like the message he was presenting.

“They hated it. They hated God,” Duffy told Christian News Network. “[They said] that I should be arrested for trying to put that stuff on people.”

These stories are just the tip of the iceberg of what has occurred throughout 2012 across the United States.

In these times, some may point to 2 Timothy 3:13 and Matthew 24:14: “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse … And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”

For others, who are apprehensive about making any hasty statements regarding the signs of the times or the end of the age, they still agree that persecution is indeed here.