England braced for more floods

No end in sight to China floods after hundreds die
Authorities are on the alert for more floods and landslides as fresh storms are expected.

Israel, Syria boost military presence along their border
As I've been ranting for a while, I'm becoming even more convinced that this whole thing will ignite starting with the Golan.

Humans to blame for global changes in rain - study
The scientists have conclusively proven that the "human footprint" is responsible for the changing precipitation patterns (i.e. floods) over the last century. I've got news for these "oh so smart" guys:

5But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. 7By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

2 Peter 3:5-7

So don't waste time worrying too much about "the human footprint" on Mother Earth. God has already predetermined that the earth will last long enough for it, and the heavens, to be destroyed by fire on the day of judgment of all ungodly men.

Wouldn't it be a whole lot smarter to concentrate instead on not being counted as one of the ungodly? As humbling as it would be - most people need to learn to worship the Creator; not His temporal creation.

Well this is interesting!

Hezb'allah can hit all of Israel- Al Jazeera
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah's leader, has said the movement's missiles can reach any spot in Israel.

DEBKAfile Exclusive: Hizballah’s Nasrallah records war speech from Tehran council of war. Al Jezeera TV bids for tape I don't know how a "war speech" differs from the normal rhetoric spewing from Nasrallah, but if this is an actual "war speech" (as in: "before the battle against 'the occupiers' ") LOOK OUT! There's a good probability of the Gog-Magog war (Ezekiel 38-39) breaking out in the Middle East, and if Gog-Magog actually breaks out - watch for the almighty hand of God intervening in the world's affairs like never before. Actually, I pray you won't be on the earth to see the hand of God, and instead are taken up in the twinkling of an eye just before that.

Before I end this post, allow me to correct any misconception you may have about me. I might sound like a typical, so-called nut-case on the street corner holding a "the End is near" sign. That's ridiculous because it's completely incorrect. The truth is I'm a reasonably levelheaded accountant holding two signs saying: "the End is near". If you're not seeing this, read Ellis Skolfield's free The False Prophet to get a Biblical appreciation of the time we're living in.

It's very sad really, the world would be infinitely better off reading the Bible and The False Prophet at this point than they are lining up to read the last installment of stupid Harry Potter - yes, I said "stupid". That book goes so against the principles of the Bible it's completely discouraging. What's worse is some Churches are actually trying to use Harry Potter to "reach the masses" - RIDICULOUS!. That fact gives even more support to the belief that we are truly at the end.

• Behold the fruits of the Anti-Christ
• Egypt: Security Police Torture Christian Convert Woman
  Security police in Alexandria, Egypt have repeatedly tortured a young woman convert to Christianity in custody since Monday (July 16).
• Bangladesh: Christian Villagers Again Beaten, Threatened
  Islamic radicals in a Bangladesh village have meted out more beatings and death threats to Christians after a special police force meant to offer protection for three months withdrew after only a week.
  Added: Jul 19th, 2007 1:43 AM
• Christians Crucified In Iraq, Dutch MP Says
  Militants have crucified Christians in Iraq, including converts from Islam and people involved in "mixed marriages," a senior Dutch parliamentarian has established.
  Added: Jul 17th, 2007 1:13 AM
• Health Deteriorating Of Jailed Baptist Pastor In Azerbaijan
  A frail Baptist pastor prepared for another night in an Azerbaijani prison Friday, July 13, nearly two months after he was arrested on charges over 50 witnesses say are false.
  Added: Jul 16th, 2007 4:27 AM
• Eritrea Denies Detentions Of 2,000 Christians And Religious Persecution
  Christian rights activists expressed concern Wednesday, July 11, over reports that a senior Eritrean government official has "categorically denied the existence of religious repression in Eritrea" and dismissed reports of mass detentions of Christians as "hyperbole".
  Added: Jul 12th, 2007 3:00 AM
• Jordan Deports Christian Missionaries And Refugees, Missionaries Say
  A growing number of devoted Christians in Jordan, including native missionaries and refugees, are forced to leave the predominantly Muslim nation, missionaries said Tuesday, July 10.
  Added: Jul 10th, 2007 8:55 PM

Report: Iran to provide Syria with $1b for new weapons
Iran will reportedly fund, at a price of $1 billion, new Syrian fighter jets, tanks, missiles against naval craft and will aid in Syria's nuclear and chemical weapons research programs. In return, Syrian President Bashar Assad has reportedly promised Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to cease the pursuit of peace talks with Israel in exchange for Iranian support of Syrian interests in Lebanon.

Ahmadinejad: "Enemies will be burned"
Ahmadinejad welcomed what he called Hezbollah's victory over Israel during weeks of fighting a year ago, and called for a similar victory this summer.

MK: Iran-Syria deal similar to pre-Six Day and Yom Kippur war pacts
Knesset Member Arieh Eldad (National Union-NRP) said the reported military agreement between Iran and Syria is “reminiscent of the pacts that were signed on the eve of the Six Day and Yom Kippur wars”.
“The Iranian decision will lead to the launching of an attack on Israel from Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and Iran,” he said.

DEBKAfile Exclusive: Ahmadinejad follows up Damascus talks with a council of war in Tehran Friday with Hizballah, Hamas and Jihadi Islami leaders

Ahmadinejad: "It will be a 'hot' summer"
It's going to be a "hot" summer in the Middle East, said Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad following a surprise meeting with Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah in Damascus on Thursday evening.

DEBKAfile: “This summer will see Muslim victories in the region and the defeat of our enemies!” – Ahmadinejad in Damascus
The coming months, he boasted, would see him marching into Israel shoulder to shoulder with the Palestinian brothers.

Lightshine pointed out a very interesting discussion going on at the Rapture Ready site.

Is this Isaiah 14? Is The Day of the Lord rapidly approaching?


Isaiah 14:
1 But the Lord will have mercy on the descendants of Jacob. He will choose Israel as his special people once again. He will bring them back to settle once again in their own land. And people from many different nations will come and join them there and unite with the people of Israel. 2 The nations of the world will help the Lord’s people to return, and those who come to live in their land will serve them. Those who captured Israel will themselves be captured, and Israel will rule over its enemies

...

24 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sworn this oath:
“It will all happen as I have planned.It will be as I have decided.25 I will break the Assyrians when they are in Israel;I will trample them on my mountains.My people will no longer be their slaves nor bow down under their heavy loads.26 I have a plan for the whole earth,a hand of judgment upon all the nations.27 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has spoken—who can change his plans?When his hand is raised,who can stop him?” [emphasis mine]

This is completely plagiarized from BeholdtheBeast.com, but this is too important to ignore - we need to do everything we can to get the word out (and wake up the Laodicean church in the process) that we are truly at the end:

MATHEMATICAL PRECISION OF PROPHECY

For nearly thirty years, seventy-nine year old Pastor Ellis Skolfield has written about the central role of Islam in Second Coming prophecy, by studying prophecy within the traditional continuous historic context. Let's look at a couple of "time, times and half a time" problems.

The book of Daniel was sealed until the "time of the end":

Daniel 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, [even] to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

God followed this up with a crystal clear statement of fact:

Daniel 12:9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words [are] closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

(link) In one of Daniel's dreams we read:

1. Daniel 10:1 In the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia, a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar, and the word was true, and for a long time, and he understood the word and he understood it in the vision.

You can Yahoo confirmation of the first year of Cyrus to be 536 BC or the third year of Cyrus to be 533 BC.

Toward the end of this same prophecy we read (from the Tanach):

Daniel 12:7. And I heard the man clad in linen, who was above the waters of the river, and he raised his right hand and his left hand to the heavens, and he swore by the Life of the world, that in the time of [two] times and a half, and when they have ended shattering the strength of the holy people, all these will end. Link to chabad.org (After all, what would Jews know about Hebrew idioms? :-)

2-1/2 "times" = 2500 years - 533 = 1967 The restoration of the Jews to, and end of the Gentile control of, the holy city, Jerusalem. End of the "shattering the strength of the holy people". The "time" = 1000 years will be explained in depth later. Is this a one trick pony?

(link) In another of Daniel's dreams we find:

2. Daniel 7:1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, [and] told the sum of the matters.

You can Yahoo confirmation for the first year of Belshazzar to be 552 BC

Later in this dream we read:

Daniel 7:25 And he will speak words against the Most High, and he will oppress the high holy ones, and he will think to change the times and the law, and they will be delivered into his hand until a time, two times, and half a time.

2500 - 552 = 1948 The restoration of the Jews to the holy land, declaring an independent Israel. End of the Jews being "led away captive", and being scattered among the "wilderness" of the nations.

For this to be a pair of accidents that each span 2500 years would be a stastical absurdity. Blessedly there are many more problems that reinforce them. For open eyes these problems aptly demonstrate that it wasn't until after the dates of 1948 and 1967 had come to pass, and we entered this - Daniel's - "time of the end", that we could understand the solutions to these simple problems both mathematically and textually. What a perfect seal God had Daniel put on this book!

The Day of the Lord is coming ever closer:

Psalm 18:
1 I love you, Lord;
you are my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior;
my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me,
and my place of safety.
3 I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and he saved me from my enemies.

4 The ropes of death entangled me;
floods of destruction swept over me.
5 The grave^[a] wrapped its ropes around me;
death laid a trap in my path.
6 But in my distress I cried out to the Lord;
yes, I prayed to my God for help.
He heard me from his sanctuary;
my cry to him reached his ears.

7 Then the earth quaked and trembled.
The foundations of the mountains shook;
they quaked because of his anger.
8 Smoke poured from his nostrils;
fierce flames leaped from his mouth.
Glowing coals blazed forth from him.
9 He opened the heavens and came down;
dark storm clouds were beneath his feet.
10 Mounted on a mighty angelic being,^[b] he flew,
soaring on the wings of the wind.
11 He shrouded himself in darkness,
veiling his approach with dark rain clouds.
12 Thick clouds shielded the brightness around him
and rained down hail and burning coals.^[c]
13 The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded
amid the hail and burning coals.
14 He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies;
his lightning flashed, and they were greatly confused.
15 Then at your command, O Lord,
at the blast of your breath,
the bottom of the sea could be seen,
and the foundations of the earth were laid bare.

Gaza...gone. West Bank...gone. Next up: the Golan. The slicing up of Israel continues...

Bashar Assad calls for indirect peace talks with Israel – but only after a guarantee for the Golan’s restoration
July 17, 2007, 5:47 PM (GMT+02:00)

DEBKAfile’s sources: Assad was in fact asking Israel to send officials to “proximity talks,” probably in Ankara, with Turkey playing the role of go-between. He made the offer at the inauguration of his second term as president of Syria Tuesday, July 17. The Israeli prime minister has repeatedly offered to hold direct peace talks with the Syrian ruler anywhere without prior conditions. Assad called up the case of his predecessor Yitzhak Rabin who gave up land for peace.



Ankara says all Turkish-US relations would be shattered if America were proved to have given arms to PKK Kurdish terrorists
If Turkey finds evidence of this, count the Daniel 7 and Revelation 13 Leopard ( and its over 200,000 troops on the Iraq border) in, in the quagmire that is Iraq. Put another way: consider it the continued gathering of the world to Armageddon:

Revelation 16:

14 They are demonic spirits who work miracles and go out to all the rulers of the world to gather them for battle against the Lord on that great judgment day of God the Almighty.

15 “Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.”

16 And the demonic spirits gathered all the rulers and their armies to a place with the Hebrew name Armageddon

I think we're seeing Isaiah 13 happening in ancient Babylon (modern Iraq) today. Notice all the references to The Day of the Lord in that chapter!

Scream in terror, for the day of the Lord has arrived—
the time for the Almighty to destroy. Isaiah 13:6

Iraq and area (Lion-Bear-Leopard territory as Skolfield calls it) will continue to get bloodier and bloodier until Christ comes back. The Israel-Palestinian conflict is considered central to Middle East peace, but sorry Mr. Bush - your proposed peace conference isn't going to work. A Christian should know that - ?.

I guess that's why I could never be a politician and pretend that "I have a humanistic solution to the world's problems", like driving to work in a hybrid, or whatever other cock-eyed idea that they think will "save the earth" (just plain dumb, but mostly "blind"). There is only one solution and it isn't derived from humanistic thinking. Preparing for Jesus Christ coming back to rule is the only solution! 1.3 billion Muslims, along with billions of others, will soon be unpleasantly confronted with reality, lest they repent. I pray that they would repent.

Russia warns UK over expulsions

Iraqi river carries grotesque cargo

Five hundred mutilated bodies dumped into the River Tigris have been washed up in two years in the town of Suweira, 100km (62 miles) south of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. The BBC's Mona Mahmoud and Sebastian Usher have spoken to the community through an Iraqi journalist to find out how they cope.

Iraq says new round of Iran-US talks in Baghdad soon

Japan hit with another quake
(AP) A strong earthquake rocked northern Japan on Monday near the area where the country's deadliest quake in a decade struck last month. At least eight people were injured.

A new definition of "futility": Bush wants Mideast peace conference
Bush promises $190 million in aid to the Palestinians - that's an awful lot of cash to flush down the toilet. It's not like you can buy peace from the Arabs - the ransom demands only go higher - duh!

Cheney pushes Bush to act on Iran

Israel preparing to exit the West Bank
The Bush administration, egged on by the Saudis, believes it has set in motion a complicated process for manipulating Israel into easing its forces out of the West Bank.

Japan earthquake kills five, injures hundreds

DEBKAfile Exclusive: Pakistani forces backed by US special units are closing in on al Qaeda’s No. 2 Ayman Zawahiri and possibly also Osama bin Laden

Next time you're in the mood for Chinese - Chinese "trucking" live rats to southern restaurants Funny thing is, I literally had Chinese last night- (??)

Update:

Two suicide bombers attack second Pakistan military convoy in two days killing 11 solders and three civilians Sunday

July 15, 2007, 1:35 PM (GMT+02:00)

"Saturday, 24 Pakistani soldiers died in a similar attack in the same North Waziristan region bordering Afghanistan. President Pervez Musharraf has sent thousands of troops to the northwestern frontier to crack down on Islamist militants preparing a jihad against his government for killing 86 radicals in the battle of the Red Mosque in Islamabad last week."

A Formula for Evading Penalties Built into Nuclear Watchdog’s Deal with Tehran DEBKAfile Exclusive Report

Just let me say that I am a bit perturbed that the IAEA chief is named "Mohamed". Whether people care to be honest and admit it or not - Mohammad is at the center of the U.S. Middle East conflict. The conflict is against us "people of the book" and "infidels". They will not rest until the whole world is under the submission of Allah and a Caliphate.

(click on picture for video)

Bin Laden stresses martyrdom in short segment of new As Sahab video

In the clip, 50 seconds long, Bin Laden says:

The seal of the prophets and all messengers (reference to Prophet Mohammed), prayers and peace be upon him, wished this status.

So be alert, be wise and think.

What is this status that the best of mankind wished for himself?

He wished to be a martyr.

He himself said ‘By Him in Whose Hands my life is! I would love to attack and be martyred, then attack again and be martyred, then attack again and be martyred.’

So this whole broad life is summarized by he who was inspired by God, the lord of the heavens and earth, praised and exalted is He.

This glorious prophet who was inspired by God summarized this entire life by these words. He wished upon himself this status. Happy is the one who was chosen by god as a martyr.

Report: Al-Qaida bakes little boys
Iraqi official provides account of atrocity to embedded writer WARNING: this isn't for the faint of heart. While questioning whether this story is true or not, consider what Al-Qaida is known to have done.


43 “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. [Luke 6:43-44; NKJV]

We're into the last pages of the final chapter, folks!
_____________________________________________________

(click on image to enlarge)

Latest Tape - Did al-Qaeda Send A Coded Signal To Attack

By News Admin | July 13, 2007

Fearing a possible coded signal to attack, U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials are studying an unusual pattern of words in the latest audiotape from al Qaeda’s No. 2 man, Ayman al Zawahri.On the tape, posted on the Internet Wednesday, Zawahri repeats one phrase three times at the end of his message.

Have I not conveyed? Oh God be my witness.

Have I not conveyed? Oh God be my witness.

Have I not conveyed? Oh God be my witness.

A new FBI analysis of al Qaeda messages, obtained by the Blotter on ABCNews.com, warns that “continued messages that convey their strategic intent to strike the U.S. homeland and U.S. interests worldwide should not be discounted as merely deceptive noise.”

Intelligence analysts are also investigating technical clues that Zawahri’s most recent audio message was phoned in via computer phone, using voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP.

The ease and frequency of Zawahri’s propaganda messages is one of the factors that have led U.S. intelligence analysts to worry abut a possible attack against the United States this summer.

The new FBI analysis, reviewing more than 70 al Qaeda messages over the last 14 years, found a recurring theme of “the duty to kill Americans — both military and civilian.”

Source - The Blotter

“Have I not conveyed? Oh God be my witness”. These are the same words used by Muhammad in his final sermon, delivered on the Ninth Day of Dhul Hijjah 10 A.H (632 A.D.) in the Uranah Valley of mount Arafat in Mecca.

“Ye people! Listen to my words: I will deliver a message to you, for I know not whether, after this year, I shall ever be amongst you here again. O people! verily your blood, your property and your honor are sacred and inviolable until you appear before your Lord, as this day and this month are sacred for all. Verily you will meet your Lord and you will be held answerable for your actions. Have I not conveyed the message? O Allah! Be my witness. He who has any trust with him, should restore it to the person who deposited it with him. Beware, no one committing a crime is responsible for it but he himself. Neither the son is responsible for the crime of his father, nor the father responsible for the crime of his son.”

In the final passage Muhammad states it again saying, “All those who listen to me shall pass on my words to others and those to others again; and may the last ones understand my words better than those who listen to me directly. Be my witness, O God, that I have conveyed your message to your people”.

From his words, Muhammad appeared to know that this would be his final sermon and in many ways it was his farewell. Is al-Zawahiri using these words to convey the same message…? A farewell, believing his time is short. If so, it could be significant.

update:Turkey boosts troops at Iraqi border-sources
Wah?! Turkey has got more than 200,000 troops on the border of Northern Iraq to fight 4,000 PKK rebels. Something's not quite right with this picture (??) Oh, ya - btw: Turkey is the Leopard in Daniel 7, Revelation 13, and in Skofield's book The False Prophet.

Thousands protest Red Mosque raid in Pakistan
[may I be so bold as to insert a little "editorial note" here: If Musharraf is defeated, radical Islamists will immediately have access to nuclear weapons - no additional enrichment required. Suddenly Iraq and Iran would become the least of our problems. This battle against the LBL beast of Islam could escalate uncontrollably ... and end before we know it. Get the Word out.

But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire [this is the global warming people should worry about], and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. 2 Peter 3:10 NLT [my comments]



Pentagon to reduce naval presence in Gulf
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon will reduce its naval presence in the Gulf to one aircraft carrier group by August, defense officials said Thursday. The U.S. Defense Department said the move did not reflect a change in its concerns about the Middle East and that its naval presence in different regions changes periodically. "This change in carrier presence does not reflect a change in commitment or concern for the region," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said. "Carrier presence is but one means by which the U.S. engages in the region."

Syria rejects offer to hold peace talks

Damascus: The Syrian government has rejected Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s offer to hold peace talks, Army Radio reported on Tuesday.

Syria doubts that Olmert’s gesture is serious, The Jerusalem Post quoted Syrian parliament member Mohammad Habash as saying on Monday.

The Burden of Damascus
Isaiah 17:1 (KJV) The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.

Hizballah Has Missiles for Downing Israeli Warplanes One Year after Lebanon War

DEBKAfile Exclusive Military Report

It has doubled the number of teams trained to launch rockets and equipped them with vehicles and motorbikes for speedy movement, and topped up its rocket arsenal to 18,000. By the end of the year, Hizballah will have some 2,000 highly trained commando troops, 400-500 more than the number at the outset of the Second Lebanon War, and 15,000-16,000 fighting men in all.

Ezekiel 39 NLT:

Eze 39:25	"So now the Sovereign Lord says: I will end the captivity of my people[fn2]; I will have mercy on Israel, for I am jealous for my holy reputation!
Eze 39:26	They will accept responsibility for their past shame and treachery against me after they come home to live in peace and safety in their own land. And then no one will bother them or make them afraid.
Eze 39:27	When I bring them home from the lands of their enemies, my holiness will be displayed to the nations.
Eze 39:28	Then my people will know that I am the Lord their God-responsible for sending them away to exile and responsible for bringing them home. I will leave none of my people behind.
Eze 39:29	And I will never again turn my back on them, for I will pour out my Spirit upon them, says the Sovereign Lord.

Something is definitely going to explode in the Middle East involving Israel in the near future. On this blog, I have repeatedly posted news articles about how Israel's enemies are lining up against her: Iran, Syria, Hezb'allah, Hamas, the PA's Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, Al Qaeda, Fatah al Islam, etc, etc. All of these threats are unified by one thing: Islam. This is particularly significant when you read Ellis Skolfield's book The False Prophet. Some Christians I've talked to about this book scoff at it because it doesn't support the conventional theory of a "pre-tribulation" rapture followed by Daniel's 70th week. But I think it is an excellent examination of what the Bible says about the end times, and Islam in particular. Mr. Skolfield interprets end time prophesies in a scripturally supported way, and comes to conclusions that fit together too well to be coincidence in my opinion.

As Christians, we need to pay close attention to the current plight of Israel. As Ezekiel 39 attests, God is no longer hiding his face from the house of Israel. God is watching her closely. God is going to work wonders in protecting "the apple of His eye" just like He did in the 6-day War and Yom Kippur War.

Now it seems like the Gog and Magog War of Ezekiel 38-39 is about to erupt. I believe, as I mentioned a couple posts back, that this war may be Armageddon itself, which will herald the coming of Jesus Christ. Of course this presupposes a linear-historic understanding of the book of Revelation, but I have little doubt that Satan, the Lion-Bear-Leopard beast of Islam, and Mohammed are the dragon, beast, and false prophet respectively in Revelation 16:13. And they are the ones that gather the world to Armageddon (Rev 16:16). But before Armageddon, Christ comes back in Rev 16:15. There are an awful lot of countries gathered in the Middle East around Israel today. Tiny Israel occupies the vast amount of the UN's time. Are we first-hand witnesses of the gathering mentioned in Revelation 16? Watch closely! Pray that you are counted worthy to escape these things which are about to happen (Luke 21:36)

Ahmadinejad's view of the world - you won't like it!

"...is there a craft more beautiful, more sublime, more divine, than the craft of giving yourself to martyrdom and becoming holy?... Do not doubt Allah will prevail, and Islam will conquer mountaintops of the entire world. Iran can recruit hundreds of suicide bombers a day. Suicide is an invincible weapon. Suicide bombers in this land showed us the way, and they enlighten our future.... The will to commit suicide is one of the best ways of life."

Such language against God's people can only be from the devil himself. Why else would Ahmadinejad have the single preoccupation of annihilating the remnant of Israel? There's a showdown brewing: Iran will not give up nuclear enrichment and the West will not accept a nuclear-capable Iran. God will not let His people be annihilated (Ezekiel 39:26). We're about to see God wipe out Jacob's enemies, and witness the hand of God (verse 27). What a time to be alive! We are potentially the matching bookend to Adam and Eve, of all humanity!

Will a war with Syria ignite this whole thing?

Report: Beijing backs Syrian Golan claim China to build an oil refinery in Syria, search for oil off Mediterranean coast.

'UN to deem Sheba Farms Lebanese'Israel fears UN statement will give Hizbullah justification to reignite North. [Hezb'allah is just Iran and Syria's proxy]

Iraqi police seize 200 bomb belts in truck from Syria

Iran defiant despite pressure for more UN sanctionsAFP - 2 hours, 39 minutes ago
TEHRAN (AFP) - The deputy head of the UN atomic watchdog held talks in Tehran on Wednesday in a new bid to resolve the standoff over Iran's nuclear drive, but President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad remained defiant despite mounting pressure for more UN sanctions.

___________________________________

14They are spirits of demons performing miraculous signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.
15"Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed."
16Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

Revelation 16:14-16

Anyone else notice that the Leopard-Bear-Lion beast of Islam (Rev. 13) is gathering the world for war in the Middle East?

This is HUGE!!

*Arab League envoys to visit Israel for peace talks
1 Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters,[a] we don’t really need to write you. 2 For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night.

3 When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape. 4 But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord [note: it doesn't say "rapture followed by Daniel's 70th week"] comes like a thief.[b] 5 For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night.

6 So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. 7 Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. 8 But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-8 [NLT; emphasis mine]

Do a search on "Day of the Lord" to find out what the day of Christ's return will be like. It doesn't sound like what I've been hearing in today's churches - a mysterious disappearance of all Christians and a couple car and plane crashes, and the world carries on nonchalantly with quick explanations of "people-snatching UFO's" (or whatever).

I don't buy that - and neither should you! It will be the day of God's wrath, and every eye will see him (Revelation 1:7). There will be no mistake about who has come back to judge the earth, and transform His people (praise God!).

*Time running out for Iran strike - JPost

*Mideast war this summer Ezekiel 38-39 /Joel 3/ Revelation 16 Armageddon anyone? Don't anyone fall asleep now! It is after all, 40-years post the 6-day war, which was monumental on God's calendar.

GOLAN HEIGHTS – If Israel doesn't vacate the strategic Golan Heights before September, Syrian guerrillas will immediately launch "resistance operations" against the Golan's Jewish communities, a top official from Syrian President Bashar Assad's Baath party told WND

The Baath official, who spoke on condition his name be withheld, said Damascus is preparing for anticipated Israeli retaliation following Syrian guerrilla attacks and for a larger war with the Jewish state in August or September. He said in the opening salvo of any conflict, Syria has the capabilities of firing "hundreds" of missiles at Tel Aviv.


Isaiah 14:
1 But the Lord will have mercy on the descendants of Jacob. He will choose Israel as his special people once again. He will bring them back to settle once again in their own land. And people from many different nations will come and join them there and unite with the people of Israel. 2 The nations of the world will help the Lord’s people to return, and those who come to live in their land will serve them. Those who captured Israel will themselves be captured, and Israel will rule over its enemies

...

24 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sworn this oath:
“It will all happen as I have planned.It will be as I have decided.25 I will break the Assyrians when they are in Israel;I will trample them on my mountains.My people will no longer be their slaves nor bow down under their heavy loads.26 I have a plan for the whole earth,a hand of judgment upon all the nations.27 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has spoken—who can change his plans?When his hand is raised,who can stop him?” [emphasis mine]

"ism" Experts

Here is a letter written by Ellis Skolfield about end time "-ism" experts who have saturated today's evangelical church. I can confidently say that I have run into the same "-ism" experts in most Christian circles I have visited (most recently at the Joel Rosenberg blog), as well. They are great at defending their own library of end time books, but not so great at squeezing the Bible into their "-isms". At some point, you gotta shake the sand off your sandals and move on.

Here's the letter:

Hello Brethren;

With the Jews back in Israel and Jerusalem again under Jewish control, we can now see Bible Prophecy in a totally new way! If the Church would teach what we can now prove from Revelation, we could stop Islam in its tracks and lead a lot more people to the Lord. But we have a serious problem. Over the years, I’ve visited hundreds of churches and even taught in a few. Many have leaders who claim to be Bible prophecy experts. It isn’t so. Most are just "ism" experts: Preter-ism, Dispensational-ism or Historic-ism and those "isms" have shut the door to any new studies in Bible prophecy.

I remember one church leader who typifies the problem. When I met this ism-ite, he was just bubbling over with the usual gossip about who the Antichrist might be, when the tribulation was going to start and whether there was going to be a pre, post or mid trib rapture. I asked if we could go to a church schoolroom where we could use a blackboard. Then we open our Bibles and read . . .

"Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed," 1Cor 15:51-52

On his blackboard I scratch in all caps, LAST TRUMPET, and ask, "Do you agree that the Church is taken to be with the Lord at the last trumpet?"

"Of course, that’s common knowledge," he replies, smiling.

"Great, then you’ll also agree that there can’t be any trumpets after the last trumpet?"

"Ummm -- sure," he says a little hesitantly, he knows where I’m going.

"Well then," I say, "If the Church is going to be on earth until the last trumpet, we’re going to be right here through six of the seven trumpets in Revelation."

"O no," he replies pontifically, "the seven trumpets of Revelation are trumpets of judgment and they are excluded from the last trumpet of 1 Corinthians 15:52."

"Oh, then you are saying that some trumpets will be blown after the last trumpet.

"Yes, because the trumpet in Corinthians isn’t about those in Revelation."

"Well then, the last trumpet isn’t really the last trumpet, is it?" I’m trying not to smile.

We continue along that line of reasoning, or lack of it, until he gets a lot less friendly and his jaws start to tighten up. "The last trumpet of 1 Corinthians 15:52 refers to the Levitical trumpets only," he says in his most authoritative pastoral voice, "Revelation’s trumpets and seals take place during the Seven-Year Great Tribulation. Everyone knows that."

"Really? So you are telling me that a trumpet in the New Testament, stating it’s the last trumpet, doesn’t refer to any other trumpet in the New Testament and isn’t really the last trumpet, after all? By what kind of exegetical slight-of-hand did you come to that conclusion?"

You see the problem don’t you? I believe the Bible and take it at face value. This church leader could only see the Bible through his doctrinal filter. I try for a few more minutes to get him to take Scripture seriously, asking for biblical support for his position, but get nowhere. He is also getting pretty annoyed so I suggest, "OK, let’s change the subject and go on to something else."

Using the blackboard, I start graphing out the prophetic days. I show him how the days in Daniel 12 predict the coming of Islam 1200 years before Muhammad was born. I show him how Revelation predicts the first Islamic Jihad, the Crusades, the birth of new Israel in 1948 and Jerusalem again under Jewish control in 1967. I graph those events so clearly that they are virtually impossible to dispute.

And he accepts this hard evidence with great joy, right? Not a chance, he acts like I’d just shot his favorite bird dog. Then he starts screaming at me . . . and I do mean screaming: "YOU’RE DOING AWAY WITH THE TRIBULATION !!!"

Pointing to the graphs, I said, "Please calm down, my friend, I’m not trying to do away with anything, I’m just showing you another way to look at those verses; a way that we can now prove both scripturally and historically."

Same response: "YOU’RE DOING AWAY WITH THE TRIBULATION !!!" He was so deafening, my ears were beginning to ring. Reasoning with him was out of the question; I’d just threatened his end-time traditions and he was beyond reason. That had to be a unique experience, right? Though the above may have been the loudest example, unique it wasn’t. Defending questionable end-time "isms" is the norm in most of the churches I visited. Thankfully there are a few pastors out there with open hearts or I would not have been able to go on.

Another example: A few days ago, I chatted with a Christian author who had just written a major book on Bible prophecy. Thinking he might be interested, I showed him how most of the prophetic days had been fulfilled in new Israel. It seems that prophetic days didn’t fit in with his book so he disagreed. Even after showing irrefutable scriptural and historic support for prophetic days (Ezekiel 4:5-6), he kept on saying, "There’s no such thing as prophetic days." How can you relate to someone who willing to hold his doctrines above the Bible itself?

Not being one to give up easily, I try a different tactic: "OK, Sam, I can hear your total aversion to a prophetic days concept, so lets call them something else. How does ‘widgets’ sound to you?’" I show him how the 1290 "widgets" in Daniel 12:11 predict the coming of Islam 1200 years before Muhammad was born. I show how the 1260 "widgets" in Revelation 12:6 predict the birth of new Israel in 1948, and how the 42 months of "widgets" in Revelation 11:2 predict Jerusalem again under Jewish control in 1967 . . . all three events, right to the year!

Then I say, "But you now have me convinced. I won't believe in prophetic days anymore. From now on, I'll believe in ‘widgets’, because those ‘widgets’ fit Scripture and recorded history right to the year."

He was not amused. No matter how well presented, Sam could not hear prophetic truths that could be proved beyond any reasonable doubt.

The above accounts are hilarious, huh? Not really, there is no blindness as profoundly dark as the one you inflict upon yourself. Jesus had the same problem with the Pharisees of His day. He addressed it by saying, "By your traditions you make the word of God to no effect." Our prophecy traditions of today are also making the word of God to no effect.

I’ve pretty much given up on the established churches. There are a few open-hearted pastors out there, but not many. Over the past 20 years, I’ve written five books on Bible prophecy, none of which has been scripturally refuted by anyone. They are either of the Holy Spirit or they’re not. That’s for you to decide. If they are of God, they will change your life just like they changed my life and the lives of many who have read them.

Ellis Skolfield

The Ellis Skolfield site has free downloadable books on it. That site is on line for you folks, so that you can decide for yourself whether Skolfield is a servant of God, or just another heretic trying to lead the church astray.

Muslims declare sovereignty over U.S., UK

Belarus Leader Promises Weapons Cooperation With Iran - Belarus is part of the Revelation 13 LBL beast territory

Aircraft carrier USS Enterprise departs Norfolk for 6-month Mediterranean-Persian Gulf tour, a deployment DEBKA-Net-Weekly 300 first revealed exclusively on June 1

July 8, 2007, 11:48 AM (GMT+02:00)

	USS Enterprise carrier

Four warships in the carrier’s strike group depart Norfolk Naval station Monday, July 9: the guided missile destroyers Arleigh Burke, Stout, James E .Williams and Forrest Sherman, as well as three more ships – with 7,500 sailors in all aboard. DEBKAfile’s military sources reported June 29 that the Enterprise CVN 65-Big E Strike Group will join the USS Stennis and USS Nimitz carriers, building up the largest sea, air, marine concentration the US has ever deployed opposite Iran.

12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great Euphrates River, and it dried up so that the kings from the east could march their armies toward the west without hindrance. 13 And I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs leap from the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. 14 They are demonic spirits who work miracles and go out to all the rulers of the world to gather them for battle against the Lord on that great judgment day of God the Almighty. 15 “Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.” 16 And the demonic spirits gathered all the rulers and their armies to a place with the Hebrew name Armageddon.

Revelation 16:12-16

Link: The mathematical precision of prophesy.
This is so important to a proper understanding of Daniel's prophesies.

9 But he said, “Go now, Daniel, for what I have said is kept secret and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many will be purified, cleansed, and refined by these trials. But the wicked will continue in their wickedness, and none of them will understand. Only those who are wise will know what it means.
Daniel 12: 9-10

The Revelation 13 LBL Beast of Islam continues to conquer...
and few even know who we're fighting.

Death toll rises to 115; 250 injured and many missing from suicide truck bombing in N Iraqi Turkoman town of Amerli Saturday

July 7, 2007, 8:47 PM (GMT+02:00)

A powerful bomb on a truck loaded with bricks exploded in a crowded market in the town which is near Tuz Khurmatu. The attack is attributed to al Qaeda.

In another attack, a suicide bomb hit a Shia Kurdish village in the Diyala province northeast of Baghdad leaving at least 25 dead. And a family of seven sleeping on a Baghdad rooftop was struck by a mortar shell.

---

Twelve American soldiers, two British killed in different parts of Iraq in past three days

July 7, 2007, 4:30 PM (GMT+02:00)

Among them were four US soldiers killed by roadside bombs near their patrols in Baghdad and two Marines who died in combat in the western Anbar province Thursday. The British troops died in Basra, one attacked in an overnight patrol with arrests, and a second in an accident.

Source: Debkafile

*Update*
Only the Lord Jesus can save us now. The first three stories below declare that the U.S. is already defeated.

Bush removes shoes for Allah

Praying gets 7 Christians arrested in...(ready for this?): Elmira, New York

Praising Allah, man threatened to bomb Florida building
A Moroccan-born Muslim on Sunday threatened to blow up a building in Jacksonville, Florida, while proclaiming praises to Allah.“Allah is great.” “Allah will kill you.” I am going to blow this place up,”

Syria Winds up Planning for Campaign of Terror on Golan
On June 26, Syria opened the Damascus-Golan road to Quneitra to civilian traffic for the first time since the Six-Day War of 1967. No announcement was made. The dozens of military roadblocks studding the 60 km high road connecting the capital with the Syrian part of Golan for 40 years were removed, except for two – one at the entrance to Qunetra from the Syrian end and one at the town’s exit to Israeli Golan.

The Leopard-Bear-Lion beast is our enemy until Christ returns...soon!


New Bible for the Gay Community

Author Tim Fleming Offers a Free Download of a New Version of the Bible for the Gay Community [Excerpts]

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) February 14, 2007 — This is a new version of the Holy Bible that includes the New Testament, along with a new book entitled God’s New Law, which was introduced in the year 2000. This book contains testimony of prophecy fulfilled, prophecy to be, and the decommissioning of traditional religion so that God may dwell with all those who believe. God’s New Law is meant to be the last book of the Bible and to herald the birth of God’s religion without doctrine.

What's wrong with the old Bible?

24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. [i.e. worship of "mother earth" on Earth Day, or today's Live Earth concert] 26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. 27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.

Romans 1:24-27

9 Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10

20 What sorrow for those who say
that evil is good and good is evil,
that dark is light and light is dark,
that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.

Isaiah 5:20

Israel-Syria war rumors rise

The editor in chief of Syria’s official daily newspaper Al-Thawra wrote Wednesday Damascus was expecting an attack at any time, and warned that an Israeli strike would be a mistake.

A year after the IDF went to war against the Iranian- and Syrian-supported Lebanese Hizb’allah; tension is rising in Israel, fuelled by media speculation and conflicting intelligence assessments about preparations for and the imminence of another Arab-Israeli conflict...“Syria has rearmed Hizb’allah to the teeth,” Ross said, without America doing anything to punish the Assad regime. Defense officials have warned that Syria could direct Hizb’allah to draw Israel into war.

Isaiah 14:
1 But the Lord will have mercy on the descendants of Jacob. He will choose Israel as his special people once again. He will bring them back to settle once again in their own land. And people from many different nations will come and join them there and unite with the people of Israel. 2 The nations of the world will help the Lord’s people to return, and those who come to live in their land will serve them. Those who captured Israel will themselves be captured, and Israel will rule over its enemies ...

24 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sworn this oath:

“It will all happen as I have planned.
It will be as I have decided.
25 I will break the Assyrians when they are in Israel;
I will trample them on my mountains.
My people will no longer be their slaves
nor bow down under their heavy loads.
26 I have a plan for the whole earth,
a hand of judgment upon all the nations.
27 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies has spoken—
who can change his plans?
When his hand is raised,
who can stop him?”

Canada's terror risk 'elevated'
The warning comes as Canadian and U.S. airport and border crossing security was upgraded over the weekend in response to the attempted terrorist car bombings in London and Glasgow.
Officials in both countries stress they have no specific information about pending attacks, although a secret U.S. law enforcement report, prepared for the Department of Homeland Security, warns that al-Qaeda is planning a terror "spectacular" this summer.

U.S. must drop European missile shield plans - Russian source

Even the secular media is talking about a Gog and Magog war

Fortunately for Israel, God is going to fight her battles from now on because Israel is not prepared for any war (I'm sure Mahmoud Ahmadinejad appreciates this fact). Even the retiring Assistant Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh is admitting that the Olmert government is weak, unprepared, and that the high level of U.S.-Israeli military co-operation is exaggerated. Are we about to see Ezekiel chapter 38 fulfilled? In my opinion Ezekiel 38 is talking about Armageddon, which most importantly includes the second coming of Christ. Obviously then, a upcoming war between Israel and Iran/Syria/Lebanon/Gaza/ and...Russia (because Putin may be unwillingly dragged into this - ?) has incredible implications in my opinion.

It's hard to stay focused on everyday life when the current order of all things could be immeasurably changed at any next moment.

Israeli Defense Official Highlights Israel’s Inadequacies in Face of Iranian Threat
DEBKAfile’s military experts warn that nothing is guaranteed. Iran may lead the group of allies with a missile barrage against Israel, to be followed then by Syria, Hizballah and Hamas, one by one.

Israel is not prepared to handle threats from Iran [missiles and potentially nuclear weapons] because the government headed by Ehud Olmert is holding back form its armed forces the requisite funding. [Sneh] maintained that international economic sanctions have failed to deflect Iran from its quest for the ultimate threat – a failure which has put the military option on the table.

Sneh dismissed the popular notion that Israel and the United States were closely coordinated militarily regarding Iran. “There is no coordination on an operational level between the Israel and US militaries on Iran,” he said. Bush has said that all options, including military action, remain on the table. But, said Sneh, “If sanctions had been adopted more firmly and quickly, we may not have needed to talk about other options.”

"Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." - Luke 21:36

And a huge AMEN! Luke 21:36 is tagged onto my prayers every day.

DEBKAfile Exclusive: US counter-terror authorities fear major campaign in Europe, possibly even 9/11-scale mega-attack in America presaged by failed London and Glasgow bombings. Al Qaeda’s coded messages on internal forums announcing that preparations are now in place for attacks in the US during this summer are appearing with greater frequency than the traffic prior to the 2001 attacks in America and the 2004 Madrid rail bombings.

UN Spanish peacekeepers cut covert protection deal with Hizballah behind backs of UN secretary and UNIFIL commander