TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Miserable, Disobedient, and Victorious – Pete Garcia - https://www.rev310.net/post/miserable-disobedient-and-victorious
Back in 2016, an unconventional and forward-thinking, new Army Chief of Staff, General Mark Milley, began a riveting series of speaking engagements within the D.C. Beltway to both the academic and defense crowds using the unofficial title, "Miserable, Disobedient, and Victorious." The entire premise of the speaking tour was to highlight the rapidly changing nature of the battlefield, and the need for the US Military to lean into and embrace it. Most notably, In 1914, “nations and empires marched off to their destruction, blind, blind to the changes in war,” said Milley. “Let us commit to not march into that abyss, blind to the changes. Let us commit for once, once in our history, to not be unprepared for that first battle.” I remember listening to these back then and thinking, finally, someone up at the five-sided puzzle palace gets it. Milley's talks were cutting edge back then because what he was saying was bucking the Pentagon's tradition of always preparing to fight the last war. While he was talking about the realities of how quickly and unrecognizably technology was transforming the character of war (how we fight), it led one to believe that this coming change was so radical, that it could also change the nature of war (why we fight). The nature of war describes its unchanging essence: that is, those things that differentiate war (as a type of phenomenon) from other things. War’s nature is violent, interactive, and fundamentally political. Absent any of these elements, what you’re talking about is not war but something else. The character of war describes the changing way that war as a phenomenon manifests in the real world. As war is a political act that takes place in and among societies, its specific character will be shaped by those politics and those societies—by what Clausewitz called the “spirit of the age.” War’s conduct is undoubtedly influenced by technology, law, ethics, culture, methods of social, political, and military organization, and other factors that change across time and place. What happens when war is not violent, but equally as disastrous? Information and cyber warfare can cripple not just a nation's defense systems, but it's economy as well. Considering how globally interconnected the world is today, a few keystrokes could have repercussions on the level of Gavrillo Princip's gunshot (i.e., the guy who shot Archduke Franz Ferdinand which subsequently started World War I). Grey Zone conflicts have become the new normal from the Cold War to today, and these are conflicts that operate just below the threshold of armed conflict, but have been nearly as destabilizing to world order as open warfare. Milley spoke of how we should not expect to depend on Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) from which to launch missions and return to, a clearly delineated chain of command, or even clearly delineated front lines. Nor should we expect any of the traditional trappings wartime deployments had previously afforded US Forces over the past forty years. Technology such as Artificial Intelligence, drones, lethal autonomous weapon systems, subterranean warfare, hypersonic missiles, deep-fake, and spoofing technologies would soon render the safety of traditional 'brick and mortar' forward bases, moot. But that was then. By the time he was promoted to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2019 by then-President Trump, something changed. He was not the same General I knew as a One-Star, nor, the one I had come to admire in 2016 as a Four-Star as the Army Chief of Staff. However, by 2020, something changed. Milley had lost that steely glint in his eye and seemed to become a haunted version of his former self. It was as if some unnamed Grima Wormtongue had gotten ahold of him and had been whispering poisonous politically correct ideologies into his ear while he was sleeping. By the summer of 2020, Milley had come out of the woke-progressive closet as a duplicitous double agent of the political left. By the summer of 2021 (now under the Biden Regime), Milley oversaw declining recruitment numbers across the board, as well as the most disastrous military operation in the history of the United States; the failed collapse and exit strategy of the twenty-year Afghanistan mission. Some would argue that even as he was the CJCoS, he had his hands tied by an incompetent president. Perhaps. However, that doesn't explain his Trump-era act of treason and underhanded dealings at the very end. Maybe Milley was always a closet progressive all along and just needed the right cultural-political conditions to come about so he could champion why Transgenders and gender-affirming pronouns are critical to a successful military. He went from being a forward-thinking, serious-minded, geopolitical military strategist, to a progressive, empty-suited, woke-clownster in dire need of eyebrow trim. This dramatic transition happened in just two short years. Perhaps the deep state had some tantalizing blackmail on him and threatened to ruin him unless he started playing ball. I mean, it wouldn't be the first time a highly decorated General got caught up in some sordid scandal (e.g., D. Petraeus). Perhaps Nancy Pelosi was actually pulling Milley's strings and making him dance like a marionette. There is another option though that I think is what most likely happened. As he moved away from the real world into the make-believe realm of D.C. politics (i.e., the Beltway), he had become enamored with the privilege and power his new positions of authority afforded him. In his fall from grace and reality, he succumbed not just to the trappings of his position, but to personal pride. He began to think it really was all about him. In so doing, he fell prey to the number #1 and #2 cardinal sins of being a Soldier-
You're probably wondering at this point, why I am writing an article about a failed General, who will go down in history right below General Custer. It is because even flawed and foolish men can come out with some amazing ideas (however unintended) from time to time. Miserable. Disobedient. Victorious. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12 Most Christians have heard the term spiritual warfare before. However, most are only aware of it as a vague concept and even fewer are spiritually attuned to be sensitive enough to recognize when it is happening. The truth is, most pulpits are silent on the escalation of this battle that is raging all around us because they are prophetically tone-deaf. These pulpits don't understand the signs of the times, or they don't want to, either way, this lack of situational awareness is lulling their congregations into a false sense of peace and security. There is no seeming clear chain of command, nor fixed front lines. The enemy is running roughshod everywhere, and our pulpits are off doing a six-week series on living your best life now. Let me put it this way, if the church pulpits were doing their jobs, ministries like mine (and many of the rest) would be unnecessary. But they aren't, so ministries like this one (and many others) are filling in the gaps and serving as the watchmen and watchwomen that God is raising up in these last moments of human history. But even if we set aside the luxury of Bible prophecy (which really is a blessing for our behalf), most pulpits are not even aware of the of spiritual warfare raging all around them. For those of us who are spiritually awake, the shift in our enemy's tactics is staggering. Nature of Spiritual Warfare (this hasn't changed)
Character of Spiritual Warfare (this is changing)
I almost titled this article, How to Become Unpopular, Lose Friends, and Alienate Yourself in Three Easy Steps.
I can guarantee you if you hadn't found this out for yourselves already, when you start talking about Jesus, and in particular, about His soon return, you are going to shed friends and family in droves. Unless you are blessed to come from a family of watching believers, I can almost guarantee you, that people are going to think your nuts and they will abandon you. It seems more the norm these days that while one (or two) family members might be spiritually awake, the rest are fat, dumb, and happy in their spiritual ignorance. And in that ignorance, they lash out at you for daring to disturb their momentary bliss. Our Lord Jesus Christ warned us about this. “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to 'set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it. Matthew 10:34-39 Not only has the topics like the deity of Christ, the inerrancy of Scripture, the Rapture of the Church, and everything else therein, been deemed foolishness to the world, but sadly, even within a growing percentage of the church as well. Satan is ramping up his efforts to fracture Christendom into even tinier fragments by ramping up the hostility amongst believers. He is turning, what used to be agreeable disagreeableness into open hostility. He is hammering the churches and smashing them into a thousand separate groups of believers (tactic- divide and conquer). This rising hatred against true biblical Christianity (especially within Western Civilization whose foundation was built upon Christian-Judeo principles) is akin to the irrational and satanically driven antisemitism we saw rise at the turn of the 20th century. Of course, we know how that turned out. That spike in antisemitism led to the appearance of the Third Reich and ultimately, the Jewish Holocaust. So where do we see this current anti-Christian movement heading? When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed. Satan is, even now, in the process of desensitizing and dehumanizing anyone who professes faith in Jesus Christ. This has a two-fold purpose: 1) cause weak and phony Christians to bend the knee toward this spirit of antichrist, and 2) making it easier to justify the slaughter of those Tribulation Saints who will undoubtedly come to faith in the moments after the Rapture of the Church. Again, Christ warns the last four Churches in His Seven Letters (Revelation 2-3) who would all be in existence in the days leading up to the end of this age. Thyatira: Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds. (Roman Catholicism) The church who prioritizes empty ritualism and dogma over a true faith is threatened to be cast into the Tribulation. Sardis: Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. (Protestant) The church which places its premium on lifeless orthodoxy, quickly finds itself dead and caught unawares at the Rapture of the Church. Philadelphia: Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. (Remnant believers) Satan attempts to crush this church through corruption and political pressure, instead of crushing it, it refines it. Laodicea: I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. (Western Christendom) The church that rises in the vacuum of true Christianity is materialistic, wealthy, and primarily Christian in name only. I've got news for the post-millennial proponents...there will be no great end-times revival prior to the Rapture. I've got news for the Preterists and Amillennialists who believe that we are now in the Kingdom and will continue to do so until somewhere way off into the distant future, God rolls up the sky and says "That's all folks!" They are about to be in for a rude awakening. This is not my opinion. The Bible does not show a great end times revival, but a call to repentance and a chastening to those churches who either will not watch or don't feel compelled to prepare for what is coming. By prepare I mean ramping up efforts to evangelize, spread the word, and warn a lost and dying world that judgment is coming. Instead, we get rewarded with violence, ridicule, and quarantine from a growing population on the planet. From Satan's perspective, this is to make us miserable and give up. However, what they intend for evil, God will use for good (Gen. 50:20). From God's vantage point, this present persecution and oppression, is meant to refine us like how fire separates the dross from the precious metal (Psalm 12:6). The end is drawing near, even to the door, and the spiritually blind calls us fools. Perhaps this is why the Holy Spirit had the Apostle Paul write these words- For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 1 Corinthians 1:21-25 Even Supreme Court Justice, Antonin Scalia would echo a similar statement nearly two thousand years later when he wrote: God assumed from the beginning that the wise of the world would view Christians as fools...and He has not been disappointed....If I have brought any message today, it is this: Have the courage to have your wisdom regarded as stupidity. Be fools for Christ. And have the courage to suffer the contempt of the sophisticated world. As true, born-again believers here in these last days means you are going to increasingly bear the full "weight of the world" to either conform or abandon our already marginalized faith altogether. Satan LOVES to use family against you and your faith. Furthermore, Satan LOVES to use the world court of opinion against you so you feel weak, marginalized, and alone. Jesus summarizes this to the faithful church in Philadelphia by saying that they would have 'little strength' (Rev. 3:8). However, our weakness is made strong in Christ. As Paul noted in 2 Corinthians 4, that little strength means the following... We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you. (vs. 8-12) So let me bring this discussion to a conclusion. As many of you already know, this feeling of having the entire world stacked against you is pretty close to the feeling of misery. This misery is intentional but from different perspectives. Satan wants you to be miserable so you will bend the knee and break your spirit. God allows this misery (to varying degrees) to get you to loosen your grip on this life and not get too comfortable in a world that is passing away. As the world systems and governments fall one after another, into the embrace of this coming Beast Kingdom, it will increasingly force you to make a choice. No longer are "Christians" going to be able to sit idly on the fence playing Switzerland. You're going to have to make a choice, and possibly, a stand. Am I going to be disobedient to the world system that is increasingly anti-Christ, or will I be disobedient to God? This world is in a physical, moral, and spiritual freefall. Satan is trying with all his might to bend the geopolitical and spiritual conditions to his advantage, but he is facing impossibly stiff resistance with the Restrainer (the Holy Spirit empowered church) still on the scene. However, this growing darkness means we (the Church) should be growing brighter as the world grows darker. Just realize the brighter you shine, the larger a target you become to our enemy. And know this...the enemy is not going to go down without a fight. Just remember, the devil may be currently running this world, but Jesus has already overcome the world (John 16:33). So when things seem impossible, remember young David racing out to meet Goliath with the boldness of ten thousand men. When life throws storm after storm at you, remember Elijah and the soft still voice. When times become nearly impossible to bear, just remember this, Jesus has already won the war two thousand years ago on Mt. Calvary. The battle over our eternal destinies has already been sealed. What God is allowing to play out here and now, is the final scenes of our drama so that whosoever will, will come. I'm not saying I wouldn't trade this time for any other, because I wouldn't. These are the days the prophets longed to see. However, I just think the reality of living through these times has become one continuous exercise in having my soul vexed on a daily basis. But as Jan Markell is fond of saying, what did we expect the last days to be like? It's like this. We live in perilous times. We live in the days of scoffing. We live in the times of the birth pangs. In fact, the times we now live in have never been more filled with fraught and peril. But despite all of that, we are victorious, not because of a political candidate, but because the blood of the Lamb has overcome the world (Luke 1:29). And if you are in Him, you have overcome the world too. Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Cor. 4:16-18 Maranatha! P.S. The video seems to have been an amateur recording. However, if this song doesn't get you excited, I don't know what will. So, turn up that volume and remember, the battle is already won! WATCH HERE! This Is What Will Happen To The U.S. Economy If We Go To War With China - by Michael Snyder - http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/this-is-what-will-happen-to-the-u-s-economy-when-we-go-to-war-with-china/ Nancy Pelosi knows exactly what she is doing. She knows that going to Taiwan without China’s permission will create a major international incident, but she is doing it anyway. It is being reported that Pelosi will arrive in Taiwan on Tuesday, spend the night in downtown Taipei on Tuesday night, and then potentially meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen on Wednesday. If she does meet with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, that will infuriate the Chinese even more. Pelosi is directly challenging China’s sovereignty over the island, and that is something that the Chinese will simply not tolerate. Chinese President Xi Jinping is on the verge of a third term in office, and so he cannot afford to show any weakness right now. The following comes from Bloomberg… Her travels come before China’s leadership usually heads to the seaside town of Beidaihe for an annual summer gathering. President Xi Jinping is just months away from a twice-a-decade Communist Party leadership reshuffle where he’s expected to secure a third term in office, increasing the political stakes. The timing means Xi can’t afford to look weak in response to what Beijing views as foreign interference in its affairs. China held live-fire military drills over the weekend off the coast of Fujian province, which is opposite Taiwan. In recent days Chinese authorities have been warning us over and over again that China will respond very strongly if Pelosi goes ahead with her visit. On Monday, yet another very ominous warning was issued… “We would like to tell the US once again that China is standing by, and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army will never sit idly by. China will take resolute responses and strong countermeasures to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters, when asked about the fallout from Pelosi leading a congressional delegation to Taipei. “As for what measures, if she dares to go, then let’s wait and see,” Zhao added. This is a threat that isn’t veiled at all. The Chinese are openly telling us that the People’s Liberation Army will take action if Pelosi goes through with her visit. And a video was just released on social media which definitely appears to have been intended to send a message… A video by the People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command, which showed scenes of military exercises and preparations and was posted on state media sites on Monday evening, urged troops to “stand by in battle formation, be ready to fight upon command, bury all incoming enemies.” If you have not seen it yet, you can find the video right here. If you have an understanding of Chinese culture, then you know that things like this are never done lightly. Here in the United States, we are being told to disregard such “propaganda” and the “empty threats” that the Chinese are supposedly making. But are they really “empty threats”? What if they aren’t? What if the Chinese really mean what they say? I think that something that Caitlin Johnstone tweeted sums things up quite well… Russia: Don’t cross our red lines in Ukraine or we’ll take action. US politicians: They’re bluffing. Cross those red lines. *Russia invades.* China: Don’t cross our red lines in Taiwan or we’ll take action. US politicians: They’re bluffing. Cross those red lines. Ultimately, the Chinese were probably planning to invade Taiwan fairly soon anyway, but Pelosi’s visit certainly has the potential to greatly accelerate matters. And even though Taiwanese officials are welcoming Pelosi’s visit, they are also preparing for war at the same time… Taiwanese defense officials have canceled the leave of some soldiers and officers “to immediately prepare” for the chance of war in response to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Asia this week, according to local reports. Sadly, war with China is coming. It is just a matter of time. So what would such a conflict do to the U.S. economy? Well, for one thing it would absolutely devastate the pharmaceutical industry… Consider that Chinese firms are said to supply more than 90 percent of US antibiotics, 70 percent of acetaminophen (that’s Tylenol), and almost half of the anti-coagulant heparin. “Are said to” because we struggle even to gather information on this because of the opacity of the Chinese market and state-dominated record keeping. Some studies suggest up to 80 percent of the basic ingredients in US drugs come from the PRC. China is also the second largest exporter of biologics and the prime source of medical devices per the FDA. In some cases, it appears that India is a prime source of a key import – generics, for example – but that masks the fact that India sources up to 75 percent of its own pharma ingredients from China. The food industry would also be turned upside down. In fact, it is being reported that “it is almost impossible to have a diet with foods that were not produced in China”… According to CNN.com, experts believe that it is almost impossible to have a diet with foods that were not produced in China. Products such as chips and garlic are produced in China. Spices and herbs such as ginger and garlic are grown in China and exported to foreign markets. Chinese factories make vegetarian meat products. Many canned foods on market shelves were manufactured in China. Our ability to produce our own food would also be greatly affected, because China produces so much of our farm machinery… Farm machinery such as tractors, egg incubators and harvesters are manufactured in China. Chain saws, wood chippers and shredders are also produced in the country. Elevators and bulldozers are also assembled in China. Are you starting to get the picture? We should have never become so dependent on Chinese production, because it really is a major national security threat. Of course the Chinese also produce a lot of our clothes… Chinese factories manufacture winter coats, gloves, mittens and hats for consumers around the world. These factories also produce maternity clothes and infant clothes as well as wedding dresses and tuxedos. Underwear, T-shirts and slips are among the items exported from China to consumers around the world. Sports caps are also produced in China as are belts and bras. And it turns out that 70 percent of our shoes come from China too… The United States sources 99 percent of shoes sold from overseas, with 70 percent of those coming from the PRC. Same with 72 percent of smartphones. The artificial sweeteners in Diet Coke. Toys, furniture, sports equipment … what you buy every time you go to Target. The moment we go to war with them, the flow of cheap goods from China completely stops. In addition, once the Chinese invade Taiwan there will be an absolutely excruciating computer chip shortage. It was recently being projected that chipmakers in Taiwan would have a 66 percent share of the total global market by the end of 2023… Taiwan’s contract chipmakers will expand their global market share to 66% by revenue this year, cementing the island’s dominant position in the chip supply chain, a new industry forecast shows. As I have discussed previously, just about every industry in the United States relies on equipment that contains computer chips. If the flow of chips from Taiwan is eliminated, the entire global economy would come to a crashing halt. I am not just talking about a recession or a depression. I am talking about an economic collapse on a scale that most people would not be able to comprehend right now. This is why I am so horrified by what Nancy Pelosi is doing. In a book that I published two years ago, I specifically warned that war with China would be coming. Now Nancy Pelosi has us right on the brink of such a conflict. I don’t even have the words to describe how reckless our leaders are being. Let us hope that cooler heads will prevail, because once war with China starts nothing in this country will ever be the same again. 3 Ways Climate Alarmists Reject Biblical Truths – Jonathan Brentner - https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/https/jonathan-brentner-g8fgsquarespacecom/config/2022/7/28/those-that-reject-the-truths-of-scripture-are-the-real-climate-deniers We truly live in an upside-down world. According to many, the most grievous sin one can commit is that of denying that the earth is warming to unsafe levels because of our modern lifestyle. Julie Kelly, a writer for The Hill, sums up this accusation: For those of you who don’t know what a climate denier is, it means you either challenge, question or flat-out reject the idea that the planet is warming due to human activity…. Should you remotely doubt the dubious models, unrealized dire predictions, changing goal posts or flawed data related to climate science, you are not just stupid according to these folks, but you are on par with those who deny the Holocaust.[i] The globalists have recently turned up the volume of their warnings concerning climate change. The World Economic Forum (WEF) this month came out against private ownership of cars. They already assume that vehicles powered by fossil fuels will someday no longer exist and due to the shortage of materials to make the electric batteries for future cars, the government will need to step in and control who they allow to own automobiles. In response to the ongoing push to demonize the use of fossil fuels as well as those of us who do not accept that a climate emergency exists, I have decided to write a series of articles from a biblical creationist viewpoint. I believe the most fundamental error of the climate alarmists is that of rejecting what Scripture says about God’s creation, both its past and its future. This is where I will begin in addressing the topic. Climate alarmists reject biblical truth in three ways. 1. THEY REJECT THE STORY OF GOD’S CREATION (Note: the material that follows is adapted from a chapter that I wrote for the book, Lawless -- The End-Times War Against the Spirit of the Antichrist.[ii] Please see Lawless for the entirety of my chapter.) Many errors in judgment arise from not knowing the whole story, do they not? When I was in seminary during the late-1970s, a young man and his family began attending a Sunday school class of which I was a part. I soon formed a negative opinion of him based on his appearance; he had very long hair and an earring in his pierced ear (back then this seemed much more radical to me than it would today). I felt great shame when I learned he was an undercover narcotics officer whose appearance helped him fit into the illegal drug culture of the day so he could catch the bad guys. Likewise, Scripture reveals the grand story of Creation apart from which we cannot fully understand its current state, or, more importantly, discern its future. Many errors of the climate alarmists stem from their rejection of the validity of the biblical narrative of creation and the Fall, or, as the Bible says, they “suppress the truth” of what they see in nature (see Romans 1:18–20) or in the sky (Psalm 19:1-4). God created everything we see around us in nature as well as in the skies. Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” In Isaiah 45:12, the Lord proclaims that He “made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens.” I love the words of Psalm 50:10–11, “For every beast of the forest is Mine, / And the cattle on a thousand hills. / I know all the birds of the mountains, / And the wild beasts of the field are Mine.” All of nature belongs to God; it’s His to do as He pleases according to His sovereign purposes. Genesis 1–2 records the wonders of the Lord’s creative activity as well as His command for mankind to “be fruitful and fill the earth” (1:28). God created a perfect paradise for Adam and Eve. The Book of Genesis reveals another climatic event that helps us understand the current state of nature. It’s what we refer to as the “Fall,” when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sin entered the human race. As a result of their sin, the Lord extended their punishment to His creation (Genesis 3:17–18). As beautiful and spectacular as nature can be today, it does not possess its original glory. Randy Alcorn wrote this in this book, Heaven: “We have never seen the earth as God made it. Our planet as we know it is a shadowy, halftone image of the original.”[iii] In Genesis 6-8, we also learn that a great Flood covered the entire earth in ancient times. God judged the entire ancient world because of its great wickedness. This Flood covered the entire earth, even the tallest mountain peak existing at that time. Who, you might ask, believes the story of Noah, the ark, and the Flood? Jesus does. His words in Matthew 24:37–39 confirm the entire Genesis account of Noah and the Flood. The Apostle Peter later singled out the denial of the Genesis account of the Flood as the key oversight of those who in the last days will mock Jesus’ return (2 Peter 3:1–7). Scripture also warns us of the coming Day of the Lord, or what we refer to as the seven-year Tribulation. During this time, God will first judge the world by allowing mankind to inflict much damage on the environment through wars, pestilences, and famines (Revelation 6:1-8). Later in this period, His direct judgments on the earth will also wreak havoc with the environment as humanity continues its steadfast rejection of the Lord (Revelation 8-18). But oh, what a glorious restoration awaits when Jesus returns to the earth at His Second Coming! He will reverse the curse on our environment and restore earth to its former glory during a His thousand-year reign on the earth (see Romans 8:19-25; Revelation 20:1-10). Isaiah 11:1-10 gives us a picture of this glorious renewal when the Lord reigns over the nations of the world for one-thousand years. The news for planet earth gets even better. Revelation 21:1 tells us that after Christ’s rule, God will create a “new heaven and a new earth., which will be ours to enjoy for all of eternity. Try to imagine enjoying God’s spectacular creation with unending time to do so! That’s our future. 2. THEY REJECT A KEY PURPOSE OF CREATION The climate alarmists enjoy the sights and sounds of nature just as we do, but they reject a key purpose of creation: God intends for us to use it for our benefit. In 1 Timothy 6:17, the Apostle Paul describes God as the One “who provides us with everything to enjoy.” The Lord, through the psalmist says, “The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s, / But the earth He has given to the children of men” (Psalm 115:16). We have a wonderful and amazing Creator! He made everything for our benefit. Would not the One who commanded Adam and Eve to be “fruitful” and “fill the earth” (Genesis 1:28) have also provided the means to support the large world population we have today? I am certain He has done so! Calvin Beisner, in his article, “Foundational Principles of Biblical Earth Stewardship,” wrote this about God’s perspective on this exponential growth: Human multiplication and filling of the earth are intrinsically good (Genesis 1:28). In principle, children, lots of them, are a blessing from God (Psalm 127; 128). Earth is not overpopulated; indeed, “overpopulation” is a meaningless term, since it cannot be defined by demographic quantities like population density, growth rate, or age distribution. Hence, godly dominion does not require population control or “family planning.” People are not primarily consumers and polluters but, as the image of God implies, producers and stewards.[iv] The globalists have a far different perspective on the earth’s population, one that’s not only dark, but also deadly. A tenet of the elite globalists calls for a sizeable reduction of the earth’s population to “sustainable levels.” The call for “sustainability” runs through the United Nations’ documents related to Agenda 2030, but the UN does not fully define its dark implications in its numerous documents on the matter. Their objective of population reduction remains unknown to most, but it’s certainly not hidden. The population-reduction goal of the globalists once appeared on the Georgia Guidestones, which a mysterious New World Order group built in 1980 in Elbert County, Georgia. One of the ten inscriptions set the sustainable level of the human population at five hundred million. Though the Guidestones no longer exist, the goal of a greatly reduced population remains etched in the minds of the globalists. The elite surely know that fossil fuels make it possible for farmers to produce the needed food for hundreds of millions just in the United States and for billions worldwide. The planting, maintaining, and harvesting of crops requires a great amount of fuel. Beyond that, the food would never make it from the farms to our grocery stores without diesel fuel powering a multitude of trucks as well as trains. And without fuel, it would be a very long walk for most of us to get our food home from the store. God designed the world to sustain the large population we have today. I absolutely believe He provided fossil fuels in the earth for the benefit of mankind. Why else would He have designed the earth with such vast resources of oil, natural gas, and coal along with giving humanity the knowledge to use it? These enormous reserves did not come into existence apart from God’s sovereign grace and purposes, nor did they originate from decaying dinosaurs. It would have required an astronomically high number of decomposing animals from antiquity to create the gigantic reservoirs of natural gas and oil that currently exist beneath the earth’s surface. Experts estimate that the Leviathan natural gas deposit off the shores of Israel contains one trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The lie that our fuels came from dinosaurs began with John D. Rockefeller who wanted to stress the scarcity of oil so he could charge higher prices for it. The resources God gave to preserve life on the planet did not come from dinosaurs. The Lord provided gas, diesel fuel, natural gas, and coal as the means for sustaining a large population on the earth, which it does. Please know that the Lord sovereignly and purposely placed coal, oil, and natural gas in the earth to sustain the large global population that exists today. That’s His plan for sustainability of the human race. Creation exists for the benefit of mankind and not vice versa. 3. THEY REJECT SCRIPTURAL TRUTH REGARDING JESUS Some climate alarmists are the most religious people one would ever want to meet. Sadly, the god they worship and serve cannot comfort them in sorrow, hear their heart cries for help, rescue them from danger, forgive their sins, or give them eternal life. Nature remains silent to even their most sincere pleas. On September 19, 2019, according to Fox News, students at Union Theological Seminary in New York City prayed to a collection of potted plants set up in the school’s chapel. This is a picture of these students worshipping and praying to plants. Such deifying of nature defies what the Bible tells us about the Lord Jesus. Paul describes His role in Creation in Colossians 1:15–17: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Climate alarmists miss the mark regarding the environment because they reject the biblical truth regarding Jesus. In doing so, they miss the centrality of the Son in everything that they see. Notice the apostle says that it’s in Jesus that “all things hold together.” He is the One who sustains nature! Hebrews 1:3 says that Jesus upholds “all things by the word of His power.” Jesus literally holds the entire universe together by His power! The climate alarmists tell us we must take radical measures to save the planet. The Bible tells us Jesus is the One who preserves His creation! We have sacred responsibilities as caretakers of God’s amazing gift to us, of course, but Jesus is the One who sustains the world as well as the entire universe. He holds it all together. Not only that, but Scripture also answers the perpetual fear of the climate alarmists. For decades they have warned of rising sea levels, but Jeremiah 5:22 tells us that God long ago took care of this matter: Do you not fear me? declares the LORD. Do you not tremble before me? I placed the sand as the boundary for the sea, a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass; though the waves toss, they cannot prevail; though they roar, they cannot pass over it. Not only do the climate alarmists reject Jesus’ role as Lord of His creation, but many, if not most of them, reject Him as their Savior. They reject His claims to be the only way to eternal life. In the Upper Room the night before His crucifixion, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Jesus is our Savior; He’s the only path to eternal life. All other paths end with eternal suffering. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus died a horrible death on the cross because no other way existed to pay the penalty for the sins of a lost and condemned humanity. Three days later, He rose from the dead to prove that His claims are true, and that eternal life resides in Him and no one else. I love the simplicity of the Apostle John’s words: “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:11–12). Knowing Jesus as our Savior is eternal life. Denying Him and His words results in a fate worse than anything one could ever experience on this earth. He is the One and only path to eternal life. If you have not already done so, please put your trust in Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and eternal life. Invite Jesus into your life. Romans 10:13 says, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Please do so before it is too late; time is running out! Jesus’ soon appearing for His church, not global warming, is the real urgency of our day. Please allow the Holy Spirit to confirm the saving truths of Jesus’ words to your soul. Tomorrow may be too late. CONCLUSION: WE WILL FOREVER BASK IN GOD’S WONDERFUL CREATION I love the sights, sounds, and smells of nature. I enjoy driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway and could easily spend a week along this road soaking in its many views, hiking on the trails, and meditating on God’s Word. I enjoy sitting beside a mountain stream listening to the water trickle past just as much as I love the sound of ocean waves crashing against the shore. A dream vacation of mine would be to spend a couple weeks with family at a mountain cabin near a flowing stream of cold fresh water. Through creation, the Lord shouts to us that there must be a Master Designer, a Creator of all things. We see His beauty in majestic snow-covered mountains, colorful sunrises, and picturesque reflections of hills and trees on clear mountain lakes. I remember the awe of hiking in the Rocky Mountain National Park; it’s unforgettable how it sparks thoughts of God’s great majesty and power. Despite all the tremendous beauty we now see in nature, the Bible tells us that it does not exist in its original pristine state. When humanity sinned, it negatively impacted all of God’s creation. Once Jesus returns for us, we will embark on an amazing and glorious adventure beginning with our trip to heaven where we will be reunited with family members and see the place that the Lord has prepared especially for us. As New Testament saints, we possess a certain and eternal hope that will be more wonderful and fulfilling than anything the utopian dreamers of our day can even imagine. We will reign with Jesus in His millennial kingdom and then through all eternity as we forever enjoy God’s creation in a way we can scarcely envision. Our joy will know no bounds as we bask in all the Lord has for us beyond this life. Our enjoyment of the new earth as well as the New Jerusalem will never end (see Revelation 21-22). We will forever soak in its beauty with eyes much more attuned to God’s splendor than what we currently possess! My book, The Triumph of the Redeemed-An eternal Perspective that Calms Our Fears in Perilous Times, is available on Amazon. Note: Please consider signing up for my newsletter on the home page of my website at https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/ . It will greatly help me in reaching more people. Thanks! [i] Julie Kelly, The Hill, January 6, 2017 article: “The hypocrisy of climate change advocates” [ii] Jonathan C. Brentner, “Who Are the Real Deniers?” in Lawless -- The End-Times War Against the Spirit of the Antichrist (Crane, MO, Defender, 2020) pp. 243-249. [iii] Randy Alcorn, Heaven (Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishing, 2004), p. 108. [iv] E. Calvin Beisner, “Foundational Principles of Biblical Earth Stewardship” on the Cornwall Alliance website at: https://cornwallalliance.org/landmark-documents/foundational-principles-of-biblical-earth-stewardship/ How’s It Working Out? - By Hal Lindsey - https://www.hallindsey.com/ww-8-1-2022/ I recently saw a handsome young man during what should be a fantastic period of his life. He did not look happy. In fact, he looked as if he had never known actual joy. The only passions in his face were those of anger and frustration. I looked around, and what I had seen in him was not unique to his youth. People of all ages were looking haggard, angry, beaten, and frustrated. Everyone seemed to be struggling just to cope with that moment of life. Our generation laughs at God and His rules for living. They act like He’s a spoilsport, or an old fuddy-duddy. They don’t seem to understand that His rules are for our benefit and that of our children. He loves us, but as we stray further from Him, we become more and more miserable. How is America’s anti-God lifestyle working out? Go to a mall or even an amusement park. Those places are supposed to be fun. Yet most of the people there are not even happy. And they are a million miles from actual joy. Sadness has crept into everything. People walk around like dogs who have been physically abused — heads lowered for the next blow. How did this happen? We live in a time of extraordinary convenience and personal power. Just look at our phones. They act as personal assistants. They give instant access to worlds of information. They make life easier, saving us vast amounts of time. But when do we get to see the benefit of those hours saved? And are we happier? We live in a world of addictions. Video games, thought of as merely high-tech toys, can quickly turn into obsessions. Alcohol and recreational drugs promise to open up the essence of life itself. Yet, over time, they become the walls of ever-shrinking prison cells. It started with calling good evil and evil good. And soon, the meaning of everything changed. Our scientific, educational, and medical institutions teach concepts that earlier generations would call crazy. People find it harder and harder to think straight about the simplest things. Someone dies by suicide every eleven minutes in the United States alone. And, according to Western Michigan University, “It is generally estimated that there are 25 attempts for one death by suicide.” But even though most attempts fail, twice as many people die by suicide than by homicide across the world. Our society has figuratively wadded up the Bible and thrown it in the trash. Yet it still contains the words of life and joy. Through His word, God gives release from bondage, brings healing to the soul, and breathes life into our beings. Even so, an increasing number of churches avoid it, as if it makes them ashamed. More than ever before, we need to proclaim God’s word without shame or hesitancy. This parched, drought-stricken world needs streams of living water. In John 7:37-38 (NKJV) Jesus said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” At such a time as this, may we say with Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.” The whole world needs “the power of God to salvation” and that need has never been more urgent than now. Daily Jot: The wrong direction - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com A recent poll of 1,000 registered voters conducted by Suffolk University and USA Today indicated that the country is headed in the wrong direction, most of the country does not approve of the job Joe Biden is doing, and that the economy, abortion and inflation are the top issues on voters’ minds. Now just to prove how the voting public is double-minded, if the elections for Congress were today, 44 percent said they would vote for the Democratic candidate, 40 percent for the Republican candidate and almost 16 percent were undecided. Then almost 47 percent of those very same voters said they wanted a congress that “Stands up to President Biden” rather than cooperates with him. But wait, there’s more. Some 46% of voters said they were paying a lot or a fair amount of attention to the January 6 special House committee hearings, while 53% said they were not following the hearings very much or none at all. Only 16% said they were more likely to support a congressional candidate who has been endorsed by Donald Trump and campaigns with him, while 44% said they were less likely to support such a candidate. This is an interesting finding since Trump-endorsed congressional candidates have been winning their primaries across the country. This poll was balanced 32% Democrat, 31% Republican, 30% Independent, and 7% other or refused. This ballot question does not bode well for Republicans this fall, especially when 44% said they would vote for the Democratic candidate. See the trend at this moment? Slightly over 50% of the respondents think the US is in a recession. The impact of the current economy is causing 58% to go out to eat less often; 45% to cut back spending on groceries; 48% to drive less, and 45% to postpone or cancel vacations/travel. In 2020, 45% voted for Biden and 41% said they voted for Trump. Nearly 33% identify as conservative or very conservative, 25% consider themselves liberal or very liberal, and 36% said they were moderate. Some 17% said they trusted FOX NEWS the most, followed by 16% saying they trusted PBS/NPR the most. Then the very next question, 35% of the respondents said they trusted FOX NEWS the least followed by CNN at 21% least trusted. Some 76% felt the country was on the wrong track while 15% felt the country was headed in the right direction. Given all this, the people in the poll which represent a sample of the American voting public are very confused. They think the country is headed in the wrong direction, perhaps even in a recession, but will vote for the Democratic candidate for congress. The most trusted news network is FOX NEWS and the least trusted is FOX NEWS. There is a failure to recognize that the political party in power is leading the country in the wrong direction. Granted this is just one poll, but it’s indicating a dangerous trend. James 1:8 says, “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.” Christ said in Mark 3:24, “If a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.” Indeed, this country is headed in the wrong direction. Sources: https://www.suffolk.edu/-/media/suffolk/documents/academics/research-at-suffolk/suprc/polls/national/2022/7_28_2022_embargoed_marginals.pdf?la=en&hash=4F682989707021DD87FA56D227603197F8E43228 Daily Devotion: Looking unto Jesus - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org We also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith —Hebrews 12:1-2 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/looking-unto-jesus-2/ - Listen In the ancient Greek games, a judge would stand at the finish line holding, in plain sight, the laurel leaves that would be rewarded to the victor. As runners came down the final stretch, they were exhausted, perhaps in agony, and feeling as though they couldn’t go another step. But suddenly there was the prize in sight, and a new burst of energy would kick in. This is the picture behind the phrase looking unto Jesus in Hebrews 12:2. We have to keep our eyes on Jesus Christ. And our prize is the privilege of standing before Him and receiving the crown of righteousness that He will give us. That is why we try to live godly lives and why we try to reach people for Him. It isn’t for brownie points. It isn’t for applause. It isn’t for notoriety. It’s so we can hear Jesus say to us on that final day, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” No, we can’t earn our salvation because He has already provided it. But we want to please the One who laid down His life for us. Ultimately, we want to be able to say, “Lord, I took the life You gave me and tried to make a difference. Here it is. I offer it to you.” Looking unto Jesus. . . . That keeps you going, doesn’t it? After all, you can get discouraged at times. People will let you down. They will disappoint you. They won’t appreciate your hard work or notice your efforts. Not bothering to understand your real motives, they’ll criticize that which they don’t (or won’t) understand. And that is when you need to remind yourself, I am not running my race for this person or that person. I am running for You, Lord. And I will keep running . . . with my eyes fixed on You. FROM THE HEART Let Us Make the Short Time We have Left, Count for ALL of Eternity! IF YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED THROUGH THIS MINISTRY, THEN WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD PLEASE REMEMBER PROPHECY UPDATE IN YOUR GIVING - WE ARE TRULY, TRULY, THANKFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT WORTHY OF YOUR SUPPORT? One of the most reliable ways to determine if a ministry is worthy of your financial support is to examine its fruits. If Prophecy Update is keeping you informed, and if that information inspires you, and causes you to draw closer to the Lord, if Prophecy Update equips you with valuable information and knowledge to share with and encourage other believers, and open the eyes of non-believers, and if Prophecy Update keeps you connected to current events relating to Bible Prophecy, then you are partaking of the fruit produced through this ministry. None of this would be possible without the Lords blessings and your support. I believe where the Lord guides, the Lord provides, and most of the time He provides through the willing and generous hearts of believers just like you and me. Humbly Seek Your Support Prophecy Update has no corporate sponsors. This ministry is paid for and prayed for by readers and supporters. Without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update, Please pray about becoming a monthly supporter - thanks! If ever there was a time to invest in God's Kingdom, it's now! What on earth are you doing for Heaven's Sake? "Share in the Blessings and Rewards that will last Forever!" "Folks, it's all beginning to unravel. America is in more danger of falling than at any time in its history. But I believe Bible prophecy predicts this very decline. From this point on, we believers have to get serious. We are going to face discouragement, disillusionment and, most certainly, persecution in the time between now and the Rapture. But don't be discouraged or disillusioned. The coming turmoil will provide us unrivaled opportunities to share the good news of the Gospel. So be ready to share your faith and your hope with those who need Christ. We still have time to reap a great harvest of souls for God's kingdom!" - Hal Lindsey 1) We need your prayers!- We proclaim the Truth of the Word of God and we are under constant spiritual and sometimes even physical attack. 2) We need your encouragement!- We need to hear from you, let us know how the Lord is blessing you through this ministry so that we can share it with others. 3) We need your input! - If you have a prophetic article or story or if there is a news related item we missed, let us know. 4) We need your financial support!- To put it quite simply, without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update. I ask that you would prayerfully consider partnering with us to get the Word out and keep the world informed. Remember, your gift, no matter how small, does make a difference! You will be helping to touch lives, around the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thanks to the internet your generosity carries a global impact! - Thanks! Our Prayer for You- "Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else." 2 Corinthians 9:10-13 If you have been blessed by Prophecy Update and would like to help support this ministry financially. You can make a secure donation online by going to: DONATE NOW Or write us at: Prophecy Update P.O. 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