Posted on 06/11/2013 2:36:04 PM PDT by GiovannaNicoletta
Mid-East Prophecy Update - June 9th, 2013
Pastor JD talks about the prophecy in Ezekiel 38 and how the recent developments in Turkey are yet another reason that Christ's return for His church is sooner than we may think.
Thanks, Lera, for the reminder of why exactly these videos are posted.
Thanks G!!
Islam conquered Christian lands and converted people for several reasons. One reason these Christians were susceptible was because their churches had "institutionalized" the faith. They looked to a physical dwelling, rituals and security from being a part of the State. These Christians did not have their focus on their direct personal relationship with God the Father through God the Son Jesus Christ. As a result these Christians in the middle east turned to the next "strong hand" that came along.
In contrast in China where no State sanctioning occurred the number of Christians has grown by the millions since the communist takeover, even though there has been a great deal of persecution. The difference being that Christians in China were more evangelical and decentralized.
I think as islam destroys more freedoms throughout the world Christians will begin to enter into a really strong relationship and faith in God, or fall away.
Just my 2 cents.
What you are reading is very concise, succinct, and well-put. Now, you need to cite it so that the rest ofus can read it, too. Or at least put a few more excerptable portions here. Thanks for finding and stating this thought!
The lines are being drawn and it’s not just islam.
Liberalism is doing the same thing.
I'm reading "The Cross in the Shadow of the Crescent" by Erwin Lutzer.
Pastor Lutzer of Moody Church wrote this book as "an informed response to islam's war with Christianity".
I'm glad you found his thoughts well-put.
But the liberals will be destroyed by their own "tolerance". Liberals hate Christians so much they happily find common cause with any group that is in direct conflict with Christian teaching, but the muslims will turn on them the second they don't need them anymore. The muslims will find it easy to bend the liberals to their will. All they have to do is threaten them with violence.
I was raised as a Methodist preacher's son, so I know what an institutionalized churchiness is like. I was blessed that my father was a farm boy, and took me back to visit home all the time. Being with country folk and helping clean out the cow drop is the best institution-neutralizing treatment one can find.
I have no tolerance for Mohammedanism of any kind, for it is so satanic that only the closest walk with Christ can make one fit to do battle with it. And fighting off entrenched institutionalized churchianity is right behind it, IMHO.
Thanks for taking the time to reaspond. I'm very grateful.
Too true. And when there is nothing left but muslims, they will turn on each other and eat each other alive, as we already see in muslim countries where there are virtually no infidels to go after.
Preach it!!!!
It's interesting but what I've noticed over the last many years is a general drifting away from religion in this country (Yeah stating the obvious, I know) but what I think people are rejecting is not necessarily God Himself, but what more of what can be rightly called churchianity.
My son evangelizes on an internet forum in the Christianity section and there are those who call themselves atheists who post on there and after talking with some of the other Christians, come to realize what they are really rejecting. they are taking a second look at what they are rejecting and what they believe (or don't believe).
Now I do know what Scripture teaches about falling away in the end times, and I do think that that is part of it, so nobody needs to remind me, but I still think that part of it is the confusion in people's minds of equating God with their experiences in church.
Thanks for the ping :)
They took their eyes off Jesus and stopped preaching the Gospel which can move mountains . They replaced it with a social gospel that moves NOTHING and gave islam the foothold.
To see what will happen all you have to do is look at the countries in the middle east that were once Christian that got taken over by liberals who preached a social gospel and didn't believe God's word said what it meant.
“Liberals hate Christians so much they happily find common cause with any group that is in direct conflict with Christian teaching”
This could go one way or another.
Liberals could quite easily use the crowned dog to tear at the flesh of Christianity till it’s dead. And Then, given the Obama administrations policy of Kill before interrogation, why would they even blush to slaughter 2 Million muslims to bring them into compliance?
OK, so let me challenge you, and go directly to the core issue.
If "walking close to Christ" means developing spiritual maturity, why does "churchianity" defeat this process, and turn away people seeking reality, people who sense a phony "religion"?
AMEN Brother!
I'm convinced that it was Satan whispering in mohammed's ear in the cave where he claimed the revelation was given him. Satan thinks he's so clever. He inspires a violent fanatical religion to try and destroy Christians and Jews, but in the end it is GOD that uses this evil to draw His people closer to Him.
I doubt I'm all that different than most Christians. I have no desire to be put to death for my faith. However, seeing the evil of islam I rather die than submit to it.
You are so right, moving from a direct personal relationship with Jesus Christ weakened them to the point that they were easily converted. The power we have been given is from being firmly in Jesus' hand no matter what happens. There is no power in a building, ritual, or govt. Maybe this is part of what GOD is teaching us in allowing the evil of islam.
Because the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers.
I was referring to those who call themselves atheists not people who call themselves believers; I should have pointed that out.
And of course, not everyone who attends a church is a believer anyway.
Oh, I got that clearly, and that is why I formulated my question. I wanted to leave it open for the good reason that people reject the pseudoreligious approach to understanding what The God wants of us (which is His offer of personal friendship and learning).
I believe that, like God, unsaved observers see the practice of Nicolaitanism (νικαω = nikao = to conquer; λαιοι = laioi = common people), the forming of a clergy to overwhelm and rule the ordinary congregants, a practice to be rejected.
Now, realize that in Ephesus, the most spiritual elder and preacher (not "pastor"), to whom the Revelation 2 corrective memorandum was addressed, was commended for detesting the practice of creating a ruling priest/clergy class within the local church!
I say, it is this practice--and the false doctrine which support it--that the "atheists" of whom you speak, rightly refuse to embrace.
Well, then, where do we find an assembly, standing corrected like the one at Ephesus, where the Gospel can be credibly preached?
One might survey a local bible fellowship, where the leadership of a plurality of spiritually mature elders, and whose conduct is that of a New Testament εκκλησια = ekklaysia; and who are following Christ's plan for initiating and continuing a church of His, by executing the instructions commanded to The Eleven and recorded in Matthew 28:18-20; and put into effect amongst the Gentiles at Philippi by Paul and Silas.
Assemblies commonly known as "Plymouth" brethren typify such. Another example is found in the Blacksburg Christian Fellowship, where I was a participant from 1978-80. This Fellowship has a strong testimony in the village and to the students of VPI&SU, converting many of the "a-theists" and "a-churchyists" by the true marks of the local Way-followers.
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