The Spirit of Anti-Christ

(Written by Jack Kelley)

Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. (1 John 2:18-19)

These days, any kind of teaching about the coming anti-Christ is very popular. But less than 60 years after the cross John was already writing about the spirit of anti-Christ being evidenced in the false teaching that would later come to be known as “gnosticism”. The fact that those false teachers had come from among believers gave them a certain credibility in the growing church, but in John’s view the error of their doctrine proved that they had never been true believers. “For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us” (1 John 2:19)

His Mercies are new every Morning

(Written by Jack Kelley)

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

There’s always been a pattern in the way God deals with man’s disobedience. This pattern was first seen in the Garden and appears repeatedly in the lives of the Patriarchs, in the history of Israel, and all through the Old Testament. Disobedience brought consequences, but confession brought forgiveness and a new beginning.

Take the case of Abraham. The Lord had said to him, “Leave your country, your people, and your father’s household and go into a land I will show you” (Gen. 12:1). But Abraham took his father, his nephew Lot, and all their families with him, and went only as far as Haran, about half way, where they remained for several years. After his father died, Abraham completed the journey, again with Lot and all the possessions and people they had acquired in Haran, finally arriving in Canaan many years after they first started out (Gen. 11:31 and 12:4-5).

Why should I believe in Christ's resurrection?

(from QotQuestions.org)
Answer:
It is a fairly well-established fact that Jesus Christ was publicly executed in Judea in the 1st Century A.D., under Pontius Pilate, by means of crucifixion, at the behest of the Jewish Sanhedrin. The non-Christian historical accounts of Flavius Josephus, Cornelius Tacitus, Lucian of Samosata, Maimonides and even the Jewish Sanhedrin corroborate the early Christian eyewitness accounts of these important historical aspects of the death of Jesus Christ.

As for His resurrection, there are several lines of evidence which make for a compelling case. The late jurisprudential prodigy and international statesman Sir Lionel Luckhoo (of The Guinness Book of World Records fame for his unprecedented 245 consecutive defense murder trial acquittals) epitomized Christian enthusiasm and confidence in the strength of the case for the resurrection when he wrote, “I have spent more than 42 years as a defense trial lawyer appearing in many parts of the world and am still in active practice. I have been fortunate to secure a number of successes in jury trials and I say unequivocally the evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is so overwhelming that it compels acceptance by proof which leaves absolutely no room for doubt.”

Global March to Jerusalem

(Written by Donna Wasson)
Come on everybody, pack a picnic lunch, grab your honey and don’t forget the sunscreen ‘cause ya’ll are invited to participate in the Global March to Jerusalem, to be held on March 30^th! This event hopes to draw at least 1 million Arabs and their supporters to march on and attempt to infiltrate Israel’s borders, as well as demand freedom for Palestine and its capital, Jerusalem. What a party it promises to be!
Organized on the sly by Iran and approved by its supreme leader, the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, this fun filled event is being presented as part of a new strategy designed to increase regional unity against the ‘Zionist occupation of Jerusalem’, and is based on the ‘Resistance Axis’, made up of Syria and various terrorists organizations, used as proxies by Iran. Apparently Iran is too shy to support this publically.

You Don’t Mess With Israel!

(Written by Donna Wasson)
Geesh! Some so-called Christians these days get on my last nerve. I made the mistake of reading the excellent article, So Jesus Lived in Occupied Territory, by Jan Markell, on the Rapture Ready website and got so disgusted I wanted to stick a pencil in somebody! Up until that point, I was blissfully unaware that an international conference called, Christ at the Checkpoint even existed. Blech!

Apparently this symposium, held in Bethlehem of all places, features some of the ‘intellectually elite Christian thinkers of our time.’ This yearly conference started in 2010 and its overall theme is, (hold your nose!) “Hope in the Midst of Conflict.”

Their aim is to, “provide an opportunity for Evangelical Christians to prayerfully seek proper awareness of issues of peace, justice and reconciliation in the context of the realities on the ground in the Palestinian territories.” What a load…

Peace And Safety

(Written by Jack Kelley)
Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. (1 Thes. 5:1-3)

The one time when people are sure to talk about peace and safety, is just after they've experienced the horrible effects of war. For example, I remember as a kid seeing movies of people dancing in the streets of New York when they learned that World War 2 had finally ended. Soon the military was all but dismantled and people everywhere expressed a joyous expectation of peace.

Of course this turned out to be only an illusion. A scant five years after the end of WW2 the US was at war again in Korea. But people have an amazing sense of optimism, even if it's only based on illusion, something I think we're about to have confirmed again in 2012. I think circumstances are ripe for a brief but intense war in the Middle East.

The Powerful Delusion

(Written by Jack Kelley)
The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. (2 Thes. 2:9-12)

It’s no secret that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is preoccupied with the coming of a Shiite Islamic messiah figure, al Mahdi. This continues to raise concern that a nuclear-armed Iran would create the kind of global chaos he believes will be necessary to set the stage for the Mahdi’s return. Recent events seem to confirm this. For example, after years of promising that their nuclear ambitions are purely peaceful, Iran just announced their intention to test a 1 kiloton nuclear warhead this year. Iran’s Supreme Leader is thought to favor announcing Iran’s nuclear capability as an accomplished fact as soon as possible.

Life's Most Important Choices

(Written by Jack Kelley)
Recently I've been asked about witnessing to “unsaved believers” as one writer called them. I usually refer to them as Christians-in-name-only. They call themselves Christians and do some things that make them appear to be Christians. They go to Church, make regular contributions, sign up for volunteer service projects, even teach Sunday School, but they're not born again. Being born again means you know you're a sinner in need of a savior. You believe Jesus died for all your sins and have asked Him to be your Savior. According to Jesus, people who are not born again will be denied entrance into the Kingdom (John 3:3) no matter how “good” they've been on Earth.

Very few Christians-in-name-only have actually refused to be born again, they just don't think it's necessary. They were taught that they're saved because they were baptized as infants, or because they belong to a certain church or denomination, or because they try to live a good life. They're relying on what someone has told them instead of learning what the Bible says. With all the necessary resources at their disposal, they've staked their eternal destiny on the opinion of someone who might not be saved himself rather than do their own homework.

If I Could Just Go Back

(Written by Grant Phillips)
How many of us have sat alone, pondering over our past life, and thought “If I could just go back and do it over?” If everyone were honest with themselves, there would be none to say they haven’t, simply because none of us is perfect. Even the best of us would wish we could do something over. Some even have nothing more than a total mess to look back on.

The Apostle Paul said, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on (emphasis mine) toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14 NIV)

Arab Spring - Hope or Concern?

(Written by Edward Wood)
For all those who are feeling elated at the downfall of dictators and what appears to be the spread of democracy across the Middle East, I'll tell you up front that I'm about to rain on your parade. It isn't because I want to, but I feel I need to!

Let's look at some of the facts.
Historically, given a choice Muslim societies tend to choose worse leaders than the ones they previously had. Take a look at Iran, Lebanon and Gaza. Radical Islam took over in the first; Hezbollah is pretty much running the show in the second, and Hamas the third. At this time, Tunisia is choosing a so-called moderate government based on Sharia. We'll see just how moderate they are down the line. In Egypt the only organized faction is the Muslim Brotherhood, so guess where my bets are concerning who runs their next government.

The Last Christmas?

(Written by Jack Kelley)
Whether you’re following commentaries by prophecy scholars on the nearness of the rapture or predictions by financial experts on the nearness of the world’s economic downfall, the message is the same. This could very well be the last time we celebrate Christmas as we’ve come to know it.

And that’s a good thing. Because for most of the world, Christmas has become little more than an annual exercise in spending money we don’t have to buy things they don’t need for the people on our list, some of whom we don’t even like. Add to that the sad fact that millions of American families are doing this from homes they no longer own, adding to a debt load they can hardly carry now, and you can see the level to which the world has sunk. And the saddest fact of all is they aren’t doing this out of any gratitude for what the Lord has given them. They’re doing this because for a brief period of time they can pretend everything’s OK.

The End Of The Last Days

(Written by Matt Leasher)
In the decades that followed the rebirth of Israel as a nation in 1948, Bible prophecy scholars have been declaring the realization that we are in the last days and that Christ is coming soon. But as the decades continue to roll by many have become weary of the message that we are in the last days and have presumed Christ’s return to be far off. The problem with the people that are losing hope in Christ’s soon return is that perhaps they do not understand just exactly what the last days are in light of the big picture.

Hebrews 1:1-2 tells us that the period known as being the “last days” began when Jesus Christ came into the world.

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, (Hebrews 1:1-2).

Arab Spring Gives Way to Islamic Winter

(Written by Todd Strandberg)
There is no such thing as good news in the Middle East. Any positive move will eventually be followed by a negative consequence. In last week's Nearing Midnight Update, I pointed out the demise of Libyan dictator of Moammar Gadhafi. Some people mistook my comments about his death as being a beneficial sign for Libya. If you have been following my commentary for the past few years, you would know that I see no hope of the Muslim world ever becoming the cradle of democracy.

The Arab Spring uprising had Western leaders and the liberal media giddy for several months. They all cheered as one dictator after another was forced from power. Now that the political process is starting to show that radical Islamists have the upper hand in the region, optimism is starting to fade.