Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Better Social Media Marketing comes from Personalized Social Media Strategy


If you think it’s the software, you’re mistaken. Social media marketing is unlike many other types of digital marketing because it is much less reliant on specialized software and more empowered by creativity and personalized strategy. I understand why agencies rely on software, but it’s not something that we would never recommend.


In our industry, the car business, we believe in learning what we can about a dealership and customizing their social media to fit their market, personality, brands, selling style, and community involvement. One does not simply pull out a generic set of deliverables and start checking off the boxes. True automotive social media strategy requires diving in and building a strategy around the dealership.


Perhaps the most important factor in designing a strategy is to keep it fluid to adapt to changes in the local market. A perfect example popped up late last week. A dealership had been doing very well with their campaigns but saw a challenge from other brands popping up. They were selling a popular brand but the data was showing that less popular brands nationally were selling more cars in their area than they were.


Social media has many purposes. Sometimes, it’s all about driving targeted traffic to the dealer’s website. That’s the core of what we do, but there are times when the need arises to pull a play out of the old social media playbook – excitement and buzz. While we believe that buzz is something that’s a side effect of a strong social media campaign rather than a focus, we knew that in this particular situation, we had to focus a bit on making people aware that they should consider this particular brand.


Under normal situations, we find that “sizzle” happens in the standard course of building campaigns, but their situation required that we turn up the heat. We adjusted a couple of their campaigns and redirected some budget to get the word out that this particular brand was hot and needed to be at the top of mind.


Personalization requires that you toss out preconceived ideas. That’s not to say that you don’t follow best practices, but they don’t always fit into a particular situation. For example, it’s a best practice to get the word out about reviews. Most review sites get very little traffic. They’re great for letting people know that it’s good to do business with you through the star-ratings present in Google, but most of the people who read through these review sites skip passed the 5-star reviews and search for the bad ones. They’re looking for dirt. Social media is ideal for getting the actual words of positive reviews out in front of people.


This best practice works for many, but not all. Some are having reputation challenges and the last thing you want to do is to highlight your reputation if it’s bad. Just because something is a best practice doesn’t mean it’s best for everyone.


Social media is a wonderful way to drive traffic and interact with the community. The way to maximize it is to rely on real solutions and strategies rather than software and bulk posting.






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Sunday, March 29, 2015

Matthew 22:37 – ‘love the Lord thy God’


Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.Matthew 22:37 (KJV)

We’ve all heard this verse, but have we really contemplated it? This is a verse that sits in the middle of many different things happening. The Pharisees and Sadducees were questioning Him. His answers were profound and defining.


This important portion of this message is echoed three times: all. Love thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all they mind. This is the most important Commandment according to Yeshua.


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Saturday, March 28, 2015

The Purpose Driven Lie


A few years ago before I had truly been born again, I picked up a copy of The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren. Thankfully, I didn’t read it all. Something kept me from making it through the book; as far as I can recall, I’ve never started a book that I didn’t finish other than this one.


At the time, I didn’t recognize that the doctrines of the book and Warren were heresies. I simply felt compelled to stop. It seemed like a good book. It seemed to have a good message. It did not and I thank the Lord for leading me away from it.


The emergence of the lukewarm church that keeps people focused on this life and this world is a huge threat to people who feel they are living right but who are being deceived into believing a lie. There is only one way.


Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.John 14:6 (KJV)

This is a verse that is often quoted and usually misunderstood. He is the way. He is the only way. The doctrine of inclusion and happy unification is absolutely incorrect. He is the truth. He is the only truth. There are no other truths from other religions that share in on the truth of Yeshua as our Lord and Savior. He is the life. He is the only life. All other concepts, teachings, and doctrines lead to death.


That’s all there is to it. You can’t be a good person and make it into Heaven with Him. You cannot believe in God and not make it into Heaven without Him. Yeshua is the only path and the teachings of The Purpose Driven Lie are simply not correct.


A better way to understand this is to watch this hour-long teaching by Jacob Prasch:



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Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Should US military be worried about ISIS list?


A group claiming to be affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS) has posted a list of 100 United States military personnel who were alleged participants in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, urging supporters to target these people for assassination. Should the soldiers be worried?


Precautions are reportedly being taken. The threat is unverified, but there are reports that the list accurately details personal information, including addresses, of American troops. This could mean that a government site has been hacked as claimed by the “Islamic State Hacking Division.”


Whether there is real danger remains to be seen, but one opinion piece makes the assumption that this was more of a testing volley rather than something that the group hopes will succeed. If they can get American citizens to attempt to kill American troops, the repercussions could be severe and the response from the American public could result in panic. However, the likely scenario is that this is an attempt to bolster the radicalization of supporters in the United States by questioning their resolve and ridiculing their lack of dedication to the caliphate.


As of the time of this report, there have been no attempted attacks against anyone on the list.


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Can Ted Cruz do more than disrupt the GOP primaries?


Conservative Republican Ted Cruz is expected to be the first major candidate to officially declare his candidacy for President on Monday. Most are saying that he’s too new, too conservative, and too polarizing to win and that he’ll be more of a disruptor like Newt Gingrich in the last presidential election cycle. Does he actually have a chance.


Tea Party and conservative republicans certainly hope so. The lineup seems to be more mainstream than in previous years with few truly conservative candidates showing interest in running. No Michele Bachmann. No Rick Santorum. No Gingrich. Middle-leaning candidates are the ones who are making their intentions most obvious.


Some on the left would love to see Cruz as the candidate. They feel that his radical nature and staunchly conservative ideology will be too much for independents to stomach. The loss of the Senate last year is still stinging and democrats are hoping to retain the presidency while regaining congress. Popular thoughts would say that a moderate republican would have a better chance, but recent history points away from that.


Those of the GOP who have lost have been moderate. Mitt Romney, Bob Dole, and George H.W. Bush all lost. George W. Bush won, though mostly on a conservative platform despite being fiscally liberal. His father did win one election while riding the coattails of Ronald Reagan, but his liberal tendencies were exposed in his term. Reagan was a conservative, though one who was likeable by the left.


Cruz may or may not be a contender, but it’s probably way too early to tell. This early in the election cycle, anything can happen.


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Wolverines!


When we saw this one, we simply couldn’t help ourselves. Here, you see Hugh Jackman, the actor who has become synonymous with the Marvel Comics character Wolverine, standing at the zoo in front of, you guessed it, wolverines.


There are too many jokes that can be made from this image. We’ll just let it sit as it is.


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A Dodge Charger in Texas


In Texas where “all things are bigger” many of the residents own and drive trucks of a variety of sizes and shapes. Some do drive cars, mostly the sedans we see every day heading to work, making the commute on a daily basis and giving the driver (hopefully) a place to decompress after a long day at work. For a select few who have chosen to take care of a few high powered sports cars for many years there is an appreciation of the climate and the surroundings of being in Texas. The dry climate helps vehicles avoid the problems that can come from rusting and time.


One such vehicle that has withstood the test of time is a 1970 Dodge Charger R/T Hemi 426 which is now the only one of its kind in existence. This car has been meticulously maintained by its owner for a the life of the car so far, and it’s a testament to a car that was rare in the 1970s and gives us a look at beauty from yesteryear by being kept completely in its original form, where many of its kind found themselves on the chopping block to be gutted and upgraded when used for street racing.


This 1970 Dodge Charger features a vinyl roof, which certainly went out of popularity shortly after this year, a perfectly maintained vinyl interior with faux-wood accents, the large spoke steering wheel of the time and gauges that give the feedback needed to know what is going on under the hood. This model of the Charger only had a run of 116 models with the Hemi engine making it one of the most rare, and fewer that that were four-speed, of which, this is one, making this a truly one of a kind ride.


At the time this Charger was built, car insurance rates were starting to skyrocket and this was the last year of this particular model. The massive power of the Hemi engine with the 426 horsepower was to end its run and be replaced by more “sensible” models to satisfy the need of car insurance companies who were hell bent on taking away the fun of the American Muscle Car driver and replace it with more boring and tired cars that did not pack the same punch.


With the amazing cars that are offered on the market today, full of supercharging, aerodynamics, carbon fiber pieces and even a truck that now has an aluminum body; it’s nice to see some classic style that has been completely kept original and perfectly maintained. Is your next car one that will be a car we are talking about forty years from now? How are you going to protect your next great ride? Obviously living in the dry climate of Text helped keep this car in great shape, but there are cars that are loved and cared for this much all over the country and world, will yours be one of them? We will certainly watch and see whose cars are worth looking at in forty years as a testament to yesteryear.


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A concept more than six years in the making


A car that first debuted as a concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2011 will finally see production for the 2017 model year. This car is the all-new Kia GT which will finally go from concept to production and become the flagship of the Korean automaker, especially in the U.S. This four-seater car is meant to replace the K900 and the K700 with a bit of flair from each of them and provide some serious excitement for the GT that will be loaded with both power and luxury features as Kia takes it second stab at offering a luxury car with the outgoing K900 being the first attempt.


Ray Skillman shows us that some of the wonderful features expected on the GT when it hits the market include a great deal of carbon-fiber parts, the OLED glass-panel interior controls, shaved suicide doors, and many of the sills and fins that have been viewed on the concept model. Some of these features may prove impractical for a production model, but with an overall design that has taken some style cues from the Audi A7 and the Porsche Panamera, the GT will certainly be in great company as far as looks are concerned.


Of course we must talk engines and the one that will be inside the engine compartment of the GT will show up as a highly powerful 3.3-liter turbocharged V6 that offers 390 horsepower and 394 lb.-ft. of torque and set up to be a rear-wheel drive vehicle. This will be attached to an eight-speed automatic transmission (the same ones used in the Hyundai Equus and Genesis) to give the best gear changes possible. There may be a four-cylinder base engine for the GT’s base model, but that is yet to be determined as production is planned.


As a sport oriented luxury car, the GT does borrow some features from its sibling company, Hyundai, but has a look and feel all its own. The GT is a model that will be built to provide the “wow-factor” so many luxury car owners want, and having it in a sports car model puts the icing in this otherwise very enticing cake. As of yet the pricing structure for the GT has yet to be determined, but this car is certainly something to watch and enjoy as the process unfolds in the next two years.


Giving us a sports luxury sedan is certainly a bold move by Kia, but a great choice considering the low sales of the K900 and the lack of availability of the K700 in the United States. Unleashing the GT in the U.S. market in 2017 will provide Kia with almost instantaneous feedback to give an idea of the success this car will experience during its lifetime. Normally billed as an economy car automaker, this breaking into the luxury car segment has not gone the way Kia had desired so far, the GT could be the right car to change that outlook by giving power, performance and luxury features to attract the high end crowd.


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Acts 17:11 – ‘searched the scriptures daily’


These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.Acts 17:11 (KJV)

We’ve talked before about doing daily Bible study, then we made sure to expand on what we were promoting by reminding people that Christianity itself should not be a task. Now, we’ll go to the source (as we should have done from the beginning) and point to scriptural backing that we are not only supposed to read the Bible, but to search it and use at as the ultimate reference.


This verse is often quoted out of contest. It points to the Bereans as true students of the Word. There are even ministries today who herald to the Bereans and continue in the works that were alluded to in this chapter. The reality is this: the Bereans were Jews who studied fervently and as a result they were easily converted to belief in Yeshua as the Messiah.


If there’s any one takeaway from this (other than the call to continuously study and find truth in the Bible by applying the teachings of the Bible itself), it’s that those who are the most steadfast in their studies, whether it’s of the Bible or of this world, are the ones who are easiest to bring to the truth. Christianity and all religions have gained an unfortunate label of being only for the “weak of mind” or gullible people. Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s not necessarily about intelligence. It’s about discernment. Those who see the world through the lens of common sense and an unbiased intellect are the most likely to come to the faith. They simply need a little Biblical worldview prompting.


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Is the Islamic State Already in the United States?


The short answer is, “yes.”

The reach of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, ISIL, and Daesh, is worldwide. It is naive for anyone to believe that radical supporters of the organization have not been planted, whether by crossing the borders or through recruitment, in the United States. This isn’t a call to watch your neighbors and start a witch hunt reminiscent of McCarthyism. It’s a call for spiritual preparations, outreach, and recognition that we as Christians must add to our own list of duties.


Some are called to fight the Islamic State in physical means. Most of us are charged with spreading the Word and promoting the true Kingdom of God to strengthen those who may come under persecution and to point the vulnerable in the right direction that they may find the Holy Spirit through devotion to our Lord and Savior.


Why the Islamic State is a Threat to Everyone


The entity that everyone associates with the Islamic State is embodied in the fighters in the Middle East spreading across Iraq and Syria. Some recognize that it has crossed those borders and is now embedded in pockets across other countries such as Libya, Egypt, Turkey, and through the influences of Boko Haram. What everyone needs to understand is that anyone can be influenced and radically embrace the callings of the Islamic State. These people are in all countries including the United States.


First, it’s important to recognize the difference between Islam and the radicals of the Islamic State. It’s a murky distinction due in large part to the way the United States government has chosen to differentiate them, but here’s the reality. The vast majority of Muslims in the world are against the Islamic State in concept. However, if only 1% support them, that’s still between 10 and 20 million people.


A recent call for attacks on individual US military personnel will probably yield nothing for the Islamic State. Not yet. Most experts are calling it a scare tactic, but that’s not correct. This seems to us to be a tester, a volley sent out by the leaders of the Islamic State to see how dedicated their contacts in the United States truly are. They don’t know where they truly stand here, so they are testing the waters to see if it will yield any results.


If no action is taken by Americans against the people listed by the Islamic State, this will not be a true defeat. They will be able to use it as a ridiculing rallying call to their supporters with whom they have contact. It will appeal to their emotions by calling them all cowards, telling them that they are going to be punished by Allah, and classifying them with the rest of the Americans who they plan on destroying. In other words, this first call is a way to set up future calls for action. Those calls will be more likely to work.


The Islamic State has No Racial Barriers


Islam is not a racially encompassed religion. Anyone of any race can join. After 9/11, there was bigotry and hatred pointed to anyone who even seemed to be of Arab or Persian descent. This was, of course, a very bad thing, but the media continued to spread the concept that the terrorists and their leaders were from the Middle East.


The Islamic State can appeal to anyone who is lost. It can appeal to any race, any sex, and only discriminates when it comes to sexual orientation (at least when it comes to recruiting).


Many in the United States and around the world, particularly the young and easily influenced, can be targets of Islamic State recruitment. Social media has been a powerful tool for them and the advancing communication technologies makes it easy for them to interact with just about anyone who is disenchanted with their society or their place in the world.


Recruitment Attracts the Weak in Spirit


Those who are most likely to radically support the Islamic State fall into two categories. The first would be those who feel they have no choice, those who are already part of the Muslim faith and who see the Islamic State as a way to reach their perception of heaven. It’s hard for non-Muslims to understand that the only certain path to “heaven” in the Islamic teaching is through jihad. Those who are good people doing good things, following the Quran and obeying the teachings of Mohammed are not guaranteed a path to “heaven”.


The second group of people most easily recruited to the Islamic State are the disenchanted. One simply needs to take a survey at Harvard or any college in the United States to realize that many students do not like America. It’s not just a matter of under-appreciating our freedoms as was the case with the last generation. Many in this generation feel that we’re the bad guys and organizations such as the Islamic State are fighting the good fight.


This shocks some people. I’m not sure why. This has been the trajectory of the nation for some time and as with every other generation that preceded it, today’s kids are not heard for what they’re really feeling. The difference today has been the growing disillusionment towards the American way of life as well as foreign policy that took a sharp left turn starting around fifty years ago. I won’t go into that discussion other than to say that we’re losing the fight for the souls of our children.


Preparation


Now is the time to prepare. As a believer, you must prepare yourself and your family for the possibilities. Those 21 Coptic Christians who were beheaded by an affiliate of the Islamic State were prepared. They were terrified. They knew they were going to die, that they would never see their families again, and that their bodies would be desecrated after their heads were taken.


Knowing what they were facing, they still chose to stay true to their faith. They had the opportunity to convert. They didn’t have to claim Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Had they renounced their faith in the beginning when they were being kidnapped, they would have been left with the other people present rather than being taken to their deaths. They were steadfast. We must be as well.


It’s impossible for us in America to contemplate a similar situation happening here, but that’s what we must acknowledge. If it never happens, so be it. If it does happen, we cannot allow our faith to waver. This is something that we all must contemplate because for many of us a lack of preparation can result in the wrong choice being made. Are you fully prepared for whatever the adversary throws at you? Are you wearing the full Armor of God at all times?


Outreach


Once you are prepared, it’s important to do what we are called to do as believers.


19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.Matthew 28:19-20 (KJV)

It’s not just about reaching the people in the Middle East or other countries, though that is a calling for many. It’s about reaching those around you, those you can influence, those who are seeking whether outwardly or through subtle hints. This is our greatest calling as believers. We must be a part of the spreading of the Kingdom of God.


Recognition


Sometimes, people will come to you with questions about your faith. Other times, people will be against your faith in ways that seem militant. In both cases, you must be prepared as a witness.


But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:1 Peter 3:15 (KJV)

Know what you’ll say in any situation. Read your Bible daily. Pray constantly.


Once you have your heart prepared, it’s important to see the signs being given off by others. Again, there’s a thin line between a witch hunt and a true recognition of opportunities and threats. Those who are vulnerable to the doctrines of the Islamic State can come in any form, so it’s important that we’re able to recognize when someone is open.


Those who can be influenced by the Islamic State are likely also able to be influenced by the Word of God. You must recognize the possible threats but also know when an opportunity arises to be a light to them. You can make a real difference in someone’s life. You simply have to discern the chance and be willing to take it.


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Saturday, March 21, 2015

Romans 12:9 – ‘abhor that which is evil’


Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.Romans 12:9 (KJV)

This is a very easy verse to understand but there’s a word that often catches people. “Dissimulation” means to be fake or insincere. In this verse, it tells us to love truthfully and from our hearts rather than feigning love for the sake of worldly gain.


Abhor evil. Cleave to good. Easy enough to understand. Harder to do without the guidance of the Holy Spirit.


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Wednesday, March 18, 2015

1 Peter 3:15 – ‘be ready always’


But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:1 Peter 3:15 (KJV)

A missed opportunity hurts. I know of at least two times that I truly regret when I was given an opportunity to properly witness to someone and I did not. This is something that is clearly against the Biblical teaching. We are to always be ready to share the faith with those who are seeking.


It isn’t just about the good times and the happy people coming to you for answers. Sometimes, the most open to hear the Word are those who seem against it, even militant towards the concepts of a Biblical worldview or belief in Yeshua as Lord and Savior. We are charged to be prepared for those times so we can appropriately witness before the people in need for their soul.


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For my home office, I totally want this.



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Monday, March 16, 2015

SoCal may be overpriced and too political but night grilling in March is my jam.



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In a land made for beards there is a beard made for curling. #Canada has come full circle. Plus bells.



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The Sons of God in Genesis 6 were not the Sons of Seth (and Nephilim were really giants)


There are two camps of hermeneutics about how to reconcile the strange verses in the beginning of Genesis 6. We would like to demonstrate that the popular one is distinctly wrong and that the less popular one often takes Bible scholars down the wrong path.

It’s easy to see why the early church was very averse to the proper interpretation. They didn’t want to scare those new to the faith off with strange discussions of evil angels coming down to earth to take wives of human women, so they came up with an alternative to the obvious interpretation to better fit their sensibilities.



And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,

2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.Genesis 6:1-2 (KJV)

The common interpretation is that the “sons of God” were the sons of Seth and that the “daughters of men” were the daughters of Cain. The phrase for “sons of God” in this verse, Bene Ha’elohim, is used many times in the Bible and always refers to divine creatures created by God. These were angels. That’s all there is to it.


For easy proof of this, we simply need to apply logic to a verse that follows.


There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.Genesis 6:4 (KJV)

Sons of Seth that married daughters of Cain would not be able to yield giants (or as they’re called in other translations, nephilim). Many of the earliest translations try to distort the words to fit their hermeneutics by saying that these weren’t really giants but were just really heroic but evil men. The 1599 Geneva Bible footnote says that “giants” could be interpreted as “tyrants.” This is false.


We go into much more depth on this topic and why many of the modern Bible scholars who are properly translating these verses tend to distort the truth in a dangerous way in our video:



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Saturday, March 14, 2015

Matthew 5:16 – ‘Let your light so shine’


Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.Matthew 5:16

The light of God shines through us. Those who are in the Spirit and do the works by following our Lord and Savior become a vessel through which our Father’s light will shine. It is just another example of points in scripture that point to works. No, works will not bring salvation, but is is through our works that our faith is shown.


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Gaining a Better Understanding of Radical Islam


In our politically correct society, it’s against the sensibilities of many of us to use the phrase “radical Islam” when talking about others. Even terrorists or conquerors such as the Islamic State or Boko Haram are identified by American politicians and the media as anything other than Islamic because they don’t represent the religion in their eyes.


There are definitely very good people who are Muslims. They live peaceful lives, help others, and would never even consider hurting anyone of another faith. The majority of those who worship Allah fall into this category. However, it’s very important for us as Christians to understand the real differences in the religion, particularly in how the mentality of the religion guides the lifestyles and motivations of those who are dedicated to the Quran.


As we’ve said in the past, we must pray for our Muslim brothers and sisters. Everyone is given an opportunity to find Yeshua and to know Him as our Lord and Savior, and that must be a calling at our core. To do this, having an understanding of the religion on both ends – the Islamic extremists and the bulk of Islam – is imperative.


In the video below, Messianic Jewish pastor Michael Brown tells what he knows about the Islamic faith and the radicalization that is occurring around the world today.



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Thursday, March 12, 2015

Profound fortune is profound.



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Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Dogs are terrifying underwater



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John 14:12 – ‘greater works than these’


Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.John 14:12 (KJV)

One of the most common debates between believers is whether or not good works are important for our salvation. As we’ve discussed in a piece about works vs faith, we demonstrated that faith is the only requirement for salvation, but works are the ways through which our faith is embodied.


It’s funny that this debate is often broken down as a conflict between the doctrines of Paul and James. If we just look to the words of Yeshua Himself, we’ll see the clarity of the message to end the debate.


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Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Not sure why but this is funny to me.



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Strait is the Gate and Narrow is the Way. Churches, Stop Pushing a ‘Wide Gate’ Doctrine.


The lukewarm nature of the modern church is easy to see when we look the way they handle faith and salvation. Churches seem to be very against the concept of the strait gate and narrow way as described by Yeshua. This should change.

Even if your church won’t change, you personally have the license to do so.


13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.Matthew 7:13-14 (KJV)

Rather than go into details in this article, we strongly recommend you watch the video that we recorded on the subject:



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Monday, March 9, 2015

Amulets point to Thor’s ancient hammer


Thor's Hammer Amulet


The story itself is almost a year old, but it’s interesting that it didn’t get much press when it happened. The Daily Mail has always rested on the edge of mainstream and alternative news, so the fact that the story comes from here and few other places is not surprising.


Amulets in Denmark have been translated to represent Thor’s Hammer. More importantly, they point to being protection from “giants,” something that has Biblical enthusiasts pointing to Genesis 6 and the apocryphal Book of Enoch which tell of Nephilim and giants in the lands that were born from fallen angels mating with human women.


One such Biblical enthusiast is Lisa Haven who posted her story on her website as well as BeforeItsNews.com.



Danish archeologists have unveiled a discovery that sheds new light on an age-old mystery, that is the Biblical account of Nephilim-Giants found in the Bible.



Check out her video:



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Sunday, March 8, 2015

Hollywood is Definitely Trying to Mislead People Away from Faith


If you’re a disciple of Yeshua or a Jew, you’ll thank me for the following spoilers. I wish I could say it’s because you’ve probably already read about Exodus: Gods and Kings in the Bible, but here’s the reality: if you haven’t read the Book of Exodus, you’ll hate the movie. If you have read it, you’ll utterly despise it.

We recently asked a question, Is Hollywood’s Sudden Love of Bible Stories an Evil Deception in Disguise? It was pretty clear based upon the movie Noah that this individual movie was mocking the Bible, but after watching the “exodus movie” as well as Jupiter Ascending, there is no doubt that Hollywood is in full-blown attack mode against the Judeo-Christian faiths.


Prometheus There are plenty of examples of movies pushing anti-Biblical concepts like panspermia, transhumanism, and false doctrines, but we will only discuss movies that we’ve already seen. There are plenty of blogs out there speculating based upon trailers or other preconceived notions. We’ll only make statements based on complete first-hand knowledge. That (unfortunately) means that we’ll be watching more movies. The two that we’re discussing today are both old and we weren’t able to prevent many people from seeing them in theaters, but hopefully this will keep you from renting or buying them.


Before we get into the actual movies, I’d like to bring up the topic of Hollywood and entertainment itself.


We Stopped Watching Movies and Most Television


It was hard. In my early life, I wanted desperately to break into Hollywood as a screenwriter. I even took a job in southern California specifically to be close enough to Hollywood to pitch my scripts. Thankfully, the Lord had other plans for me and I never actually went to a single pitch. This was a blessing that I thought was a curse at the time.


Today, we realize that at the very least, movies and television are distractions from worshiping the Father and praising our Lord and Savior. As much as I used to love movies (I managed a Blockbuster Video back in the day, mostly to get unlimited access), it was one of the hardest things to realize. Entertaining movies are bad. All of them. Like I said, the least they can do is distract. The worst that they can do (and so many do) is to promote ungodly feelings and emotions that are incapable of being productive in a Christian life.


American Sniper Eastwood Most of you are thinking right now that I’m being too harsh, too extreme, and too universal with this declaration. What’s wrong with a harmless romantic comedy every now and then? What about patriotic movies like American Sniper or Zero Dark Thirty? If it’s not loaded with sex and violence, it’s just a harmless distraction from the rigors of life, right?


No. They’re not harmless distractions at all. They have an effect on us. They pull our focus away from what’s truly important.


There are exceptions, which is why I called them “entertaining movies” rather than all movies. True stories that stay attached to reality, for example, can give us historical views of events that we would otherwise never get to see. Apollo 13, Argo, and Hotel Rwanda come to mind as movies that fulfilled certain criteria that we employ when deciding to watch a movie:



  • Based on important historical events

  • Stayed pretty close to the real story line

  • Were generally considered to be well made


They replaced documentaries, and those are films that we will also consider watching based upon the subject matter. As disciples of Yeshua, we should strive to be in prayer and worship whenever we’re not fulfilling required life duties, but the occasional break is needed by many. That’s where real stories and documentaries come into play. It’s not ideal, but it’s a step closer to how we should truly be filling our time.


The same goes for television. We watch the news. My wife loves “How It’s Made” but limits it. Otherwise, we don’t watch distracting television shows for the same reasons we don’t watch movies.


I’m not being judgmental or “holier than thou” when I say that people shouldn’t fill their free time with entertainment. I simply wanted to point out that they take us away from our true calling. I also wanted to point out that it can be done regardless of how hooked you are on them. I was hooked. The Lord pulled me out of them.


We Will Watch More Movies Now


Last Days in the Desert My wife wanted to go see Noah on opening night to get responses from others who watched it. She felt like we needed to see if for ourselves and warn people if appropriate. Her calling was righteous and I wish I would have listened. Instead, we watched it when it came out on digital download, just as we did tonight with Exodus.


Moving forward, we will be watching for these movies and trying to see them as soon as possible. It’s that bad, as you’ll soon learn. Hollywood is wrapping heresy and even blasphemy into a supposed Biblical package and it’s important to warn people. This is much worse than I would have imagined.


Exodus: Gods and Kings


If we had seen the movie when it first came out, I would have written about the replacement storyline that was much less interesting than reality, the demeaning way Ridley Scott had a “goddish” character portrayed like a careless little boy having tantrums, and the awful insertions into the narrative that served little purpose other than to mislead.


Exodus Gods and Kings I would have focused on what has been very apparent for some time, that Hollywood is “whitewashing” stories from the Bible. It’s claimed to be a financial decision to appeal to an American and European audience, but it’s actually a technique for deception to mislead people into picturing the Biblical narrative through the eyes of Americans, Britons, and Australians.


I won’t go into detail about any of these things because it has already been very well documented. We came to the party late. Instead, we’ll focus on the most damaging parts of the movie that tell me without doing any research into those who created it that they are not believers and are actively attempting to draw contempt about the characters. We saw that in Noah where God seems indifferent and Noah himself was portrayed as a psychopath, where the fallen angels were heroes and Methuselah was a wizard.


We could write for hours about the inaccuracies or prejudices in the movie, but instead we’ll focus on the blatantly misleading components. Here are the “sins” of Exodus:



  • “God” was Unjust: After every miraculous judgment, Moses gave Pharaoh an opportunity to free His people. In this movie, Pharaoh was portrayed at times as a caring father and victim who had no opportunity to stop what was happening to his nation.

  • Moses Rejected the Hebrews: In the Bible, Moses had to run away because he had actively defended his Hebrew brethren. In this movie, he rejects them at first and only goes back nine years after being exiled because “god” told him to.

  • Moses was an Orator and a Warrior: In the Bible, Moses is a meek man. He can’t speak well, so God has Aaron speak for him. He isn’t particularly tough and accomplishes all of his victories through the power of God. In the movie, he’s a tactical genius, even being called “General” by “god” at times, and trains his people at gorilla warfare.

  • “Ramses” Was Confused: Let’s put aside the fact that Ramses was not the Pharaoh during the Exodus. The real problem is that he was confused by the events, looking to scholars and fortune tellers to figure out what was happening. This garners a little more sympathy for him since he apparently didn’t know in the movie why the various plagues were happening. In the Bible, he knew very well what was happening.

  • Moses Wrote the Ten Commandments: One might point to a misinterpretation of Exodus 34:27-28 as stating that Moses wrote the 2nd set of tablets for the Ten Commandments, but that’s not the case. Moses wrote the covenant and the laws. God wrote the Ten Commandments. This can almost be forgiven, other than that “god” served Moses tea which cannot be confused with reality.

  • Moses was Not Humble: The true man was every bit humbled to the Lord with only one transgression known from the Bible. The movie portrays him scolding and rebelling against “god” on a couple of occasions.

  • “God” Relied on Moses: This might be the most misleading aspect of the movie. It makes it seem as if “god” was relying on Moses to do things such as bring the people out of Egypt, train them, and lead them through the wilderness. This is exactly opposite of what happened. Moses of the Bible didn’t want to lead and was not really very good at it. Every action he took was under the guidance of God.


This movie paints Moses as strong, “god” as whimsical and petty, Pharaoh as someone who deserves sympathy, and other characters as insignificant. Aaron and Miriam barely make an appearance. To an unbeliever or a lukewarm believer, this movie will do nothing but reaffirm why they don’t study their Bible. To a disciple, the movie is worthless and acts as another reason to abandon Hollywood.


Jupiter Ascending


The movie is terrible. The acting is terrible. The plot is forced… and terrible.


Who cares, right? It’s just a quick flick to put pretty people on stage and throw up some cool special effects, after all. In all actuality, this is a dangerous movie that continues to promote the growing concept of panspermia.


Jupiter Ascending This isn’t the first and it won’t be the last movie that takes the Biblical truth and turns it on its head with proposed concepts that the Earth was seeded by an advanced alien race. It pushes a loosely Hindu concept of reincarnation. It puts all the power into science and men.


The imagery within the movie is extremely pagan in nature. Even the character names are pulled from villains in the Bible and other ancient writings:



  • Abrasax – Surname of the royal family that seeded the earth 100,000 years ago – “Abraxas” was in Gnostic folklore and represented a being higher than God.

  • Jupiter – Protagonist’s first name – Roman king of the gods, also a reference to Lucifer.

  • Titus – Member of the royal family who wanted to claim earth – Roman emperor who besieged Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple.

  • Caine – A canine/human hybrid protecting the protagonist – “Cain” was the first human to commit murder in the Bible.

  • Balem – Main antagonist and “owner” of the earth – “Balaam” is an intriguing person in the Bible, mentioned multiple times from Numbers through Revelation as opposed to God’s people.


The movie is so poor and the message is so wretched that I won’t go into too many details. Just know that it’s not worth watching for any reason. It’s just another example of Hollywood’s clever manipulations.


We will be exploring more movies in the future. Stay diligent and understand what you’re watching (if you must continue to watch at all).


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Saturday, March 7, 2015

Matthew 11:28 – ‘give you rest’


Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.Matthew 11:28

Yeshua wants to help people. His life was spent helping others, even those who wanted to destroy Him. The people who He helped the most and the people He continues to help today are those who are doing the hardest work, though today it can be said that those working for the Kingdom of God within their own lives and others’ are the laborers who need rest the most.


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Friday, March 6, 2015

More Power for the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport


2015 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport


For three model years the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport has been a fan favorite. It has an attractive appearance and offers very nice performance off road. The one and only chief complaint for the Outlander Sport for these past model years has been a lack of power. As simple as it may be, Tim Allen said it best when he would get on stage and grunt out “more power” over and over again. Finally, after three years of not having enough power when it’s loaded down, the Outlander Sport is receiving a very nice injection of power in some of its models.


Normally the Outlander Sport features a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine and this engine will continue to be found in the ES model that starts out at a price of $22,145. The new Outlander Sport GT will start at a price of $24,445, which is well worth the increase when you consider it will house a 2.4-liter MIVEC inline four-cylinder engine which will offer up 168 horsepower; more than enough for this small crossover SUV to be able to show some guts, gain some glory and be loaded down with just about any kind of gear the occupants may need.


With the GT being an all-new trim level some of the amazing new features that will be found in this trim level will be a power driver’s seat, a leather wrapped parking brake handle, aluminum pedals, a black center bumper, black roof rails and LED turn signals which are integrated into the side mirrors. The GT will also be available with a Premium Package that includes a 710-watt Rockford Fosgate nine-speaker sound system with a ten-inch subwoofer, a panoramic glass roof with adjustable LED mood lighting and an auto dimming rearview mirror. Moving up to the GT Touring model adds a navigation system with a seven-inch touchscreen, 3D mapping, point of interest information and real time traffic alerts.


Mitsubishi is hoping the additional 20 horsepower and so many awesome features to enjoy will take care of any grumblings that were sounding loud and clear regarding the lack of power for the Outlander Sport. Only time will tell if this will be an adequate change for this popular and sporty compact crossover SUV, but one thing is for certain, this is a step in the right direction for Mitsubishi and the Outlander Sport which is now better than ever with the GT model.


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Philippians 4:6 – ‘careful for nothing’


Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.Philippians 4:6 (KJV)

This is one of those few verses where the KJV interpretation of the word can be misleading to modern readers. The Greek word transliterated as merimnaō is shown in this verse to be “careful” and can make people feel like being careful for nothing means being reckless, but that’s not the intent.


In other translations, it says to not be “anxious” which is a better interpretation for our modern understanding. We are not to be anxious or worried about anything that is before us. Through prayer and supplication, even the most dire needs can be filled. That is not to say that God will answer all of our prayers exactly as we imagine them; when you’re going through hard times, it’s always good to remember the story of Joseph who went through terrible times before God made his purpose understood.


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Thursday, March 5, 2015

Big Bang or No Big Bang? Both Theories Point to God.


One of the biggest misconceptions that people on both sides of the debate hold, whether theists or atheists, is that science runs contrary to religion. The reality is this: true science at its core is not only lockstep with the Bible, it’s also encouraged.

We are told in Romans 1:17-23 that God has put His signature in all that was created…


Romans 1:17-23 (KJV)



17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.


18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;


19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.


20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:


21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.


22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,


23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.



True science is based upon the observable. Speculative science takes what is observable and derives theories based upon the information to provide theories. The divide that occurs between secular science and Biblical truth is worldview.


Science vs Religion Most scientists enter the arena with a secular worldview. Many are converted; some of the most noted scientists throughout history have reconciled science and a Biblical worldview to draw some pretty amazing concusions. It’s even more pronounced today. Thanks to cutting edge scientific research, more scientists are starting to realize that the Biblical account is easily revealed by what

we’re discovering.


One of my favorites is Brian Thomas from Your Origins Matter. He was an atheist scientist until he was 27 when the Holy Spirit filled him. Since then, he’s been a great champion for reconciling modern scientific theories with the Biblical worldview.


Presuppositions determine the way that we interpret data. It’s human nature. If you see the world and life as a random occurance, the data can be tortured to back up theories of how that could be the case. If you believe the universe and life were created by God, the exact same data will back up that concept.


The Big Bang is a perfect example of this. Before the 20th century, before Einstein’s relativity, Hubble’s red shift, and Georges Lemaitre’s Big Bang theory, scientists believed in a static state of the universe. Einstein didn’t like it because it didn’t quite jive, but he ran with it.


Georges Lemaitre Big Bang Some herald the Big Bang theory as proof of creation, but there’s a problem with this. Lemaitre wasn’t just the father of the Big Bang theory. He was also a father in another sense. It irritates many atheists that the man who revealed the prevailing theory of the birth of the universe was an ordained priest. However, even Lemaitre with his dual understanding of existence in physics and the Bible was quick to note that the Big Bang theory neither proved nor disproved creation.


Fast forward to today and the mathematical models surrounding the Big Bang theory still break down the closer you get to the singularity. I’m not going to go into this problem, nor the proposed solutions such as string theory, quantum inflation, or the multiverse concept, but it’s important to note that the theory itself is derived from scientific observations that attempt to backtrack from today all the way back to a singularity. It’s important because, as with so many modern scientific discoveries of the 20th and 21st century, the concepts that surround the data can point to creation or quantum fluctuation. It all depends on the worldview

of the theorist.


A recent study now says that there was no Big Bang, that the universe has always existed, and that Hubble’s discoveries of red shift expansion were flawed. I respect secular scientists for their attempt, but I’ve always wanted to see what happens when they apply their funding and resources towards taking the data and plugging it into a Biblical worldview. This is very challenging because the ability to get funding for such research is almost always tied to having a secular worldview.


What modern science tries to do is to take the observable data and fill in the unobservable blanks with theories and mathematical models that rely on unknown. It’s speculative by its very nature because that’s how this branch of science thrives. You take the data, build a model that works at or near solvability, then devise experiments to prove or disprove the likelihood of the model. This is what CERN does. It’s the environment that most modern physists call home. There are many theoretical concepts that fill the holes in their equations such as dark matter, supersymmetric strings, gravitons, axions, or the star of the latest non-Big Bang theory, superfluids. The irony is that these concepts are brought about to fill in blanks that can, in my opinion, all be filled if they plug in the Biblical account of God.



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Wednesday, March 4, 2015



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Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Why Netanyahu Matters to Christians


For once, we’re not going to turn to scripture for this story. In fact, we’re not even going to turn to other articles on world news despite the fact that it’s about Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, the United States, and the world.

Instead, we’re going to talk about God’s Will. This is being written the day of the speech that Netanyahu is to give before the US Senate, two weeks before the big elections in Israel. I wanted to get this story out ahead of time because it’s important to understand what it all means while it’s happening rather than using retrospect to point fingers or say, “I told you so.”


Let’s take a closer look at what’s happening in the world, in the Middle East, in Israel, and how it all effects the way that Christians must view the world going forward.


Looking for Meaning in Events


Looking back through history, many will point out that every generation since before the time of Yeshua believed that they were in the end times. There have always been events that compel people to say, “this is it, this is the end.” We are no different and the rise in the number of people who think that we are living in the end times today is likely due to the establishment of the internet and the proliferation of blogs, YouTube, and digital ministries around the world.


No. That’s not the case. Whether we are in the end times or not is up for debate, but the events happening around us are different. Things are not the same as they were last generation or ten generations ago. Today, we’re seeing knowledge increase at rates that are astronomically faster than a decade ago. We’re seeing the ability for the Gospel to spread to the world in ways that are exponentially more efficient in reach than just a few years ago. We’re seeing a falling away as spoken of by Jesus Christ and whether or not this is the true prophetic falling away, we won’t know until the man of perdition is revealed.


When people ask me what’s different now, what makes our time more likely than in centuries past when people were seeing signs of the end times, I point to Israel. For nearly two millennia, it was very unlikely that the Jews would return to their homeland and have a nation. The concept was obtuse to most through World War II when Jews were being hunted and were continuing to be dispersed throughout the world in fear.


Then, a miracle happened. Anyone who does not see the establishment of Israel in 1948 as an absolute God-driven miracle isn’t reading their history books properly. The establishment of the nation of Israel and the taking of Jerusalem as provoked by attacks from all sides in 1967 pushed the start button on God’s prophetic calendar. As we approach the 70 year anniversary of the establishment of a Jewish state, we are seeing Bible prophecy unfold. However, we must see it with a proper understanding.


Prophecy is Not for Predicting. It’s for Recognition.


One of the biggest mistakes that surrounds the discipline of eschatology is that too many people look to Bible prophecy as a God’s way of alerting us of the future. Of the thousands of prophetic verses in the Bible, very few of them have been for this reason. We are incapable of determining when anything in God’s plan will take place. However, we are definitely able to use the prophecies as a way to recognize when events are unfolding.


Prophecy has always been about recognition. It allows us to recognize the times that we’re in, often followed with instructions about what to do when those events happen. They also allow us to recognize truth in retrospect. For example, much of the Old Testament talked of the coming Messiah. When Yeshua fulfilled these prophecies, it was validation that He was foretold so that we could recognize beyond a shadow of a doubt that His ministry, death, and resurrection were indeed exactly what He calimed them to be.


Since so much of Bible prophecy speaks of Israel and discusses what will surround the nation at the end times, we will be watching for those events. Nearly all of them we impossible until 1948. Now, they are very possible. It could happen tomorrow. It could happen in 1000 years. We don’t know for sure what God has planned for Israel and the world, but we can watch what happens and recognize when they clearly start coming to pass.


Israel’s Role is Central to the Bible and Prophecy


It’s often challenging for Christians to understand that Judah, Jerusalem, and the Jewish state of Israel are the centerpieces of the Bible. It’s not just the Old Testament. The New Testament is loaded with prophecy regarding Israel and the nations that will come against her.


It still surprises me that people seem to forget that Yeshua was Jewish. Between replacement theology, dispensationalism, and straight up antisemitism, so many believers want to take Israel out of focus and make it about Christians. It’s as if the cloud of deception has made many feel like the things that happen to Israel and the Jewish people are completely separate from what happens to the Church. This simply isn’t the case.


Christians, Jews, and everyone else will be dramatically affected by the events that are to take place in the Middle East and particularly in Israel. It may seem like it’s a world away and we may want to make secular claims that it’s all about oil, but the bottom line is this: the Holy Land has been and always will be the driving force for every world event and will have an affect on every human being on the face of the earth. This is why Netanyahu’s speech before the Senate and the elections in Israel are important to everyone.


Win or Lose, Netanyahu Matters


If I’m forced to make a prediction, I believe that Benjamin Netanyahu will remain the Prime Minister of Israel beyond 2015. If you’re reading this after the election, you can make whatever judgment you’d like about this statement.


It’s important to remember that the Will of God is what will determine the election. This is His world and we’re on His calendar. The events of the end times will unfold exactly as they’re foretold and we cannot influence them. However, it’s through our God-given free will that we can definitely influence what we do as individual believers.


I do not believe in cheering for one side or another. Ideologically, I support Netanyahu’s strong stance, but his ideology can only set the stage. If he wins, then we can assume the relationship with the United States will be strained as long as Barack Obama is President of the United States. If he loses, then we can assume that US-Israel relations will improve for a time.


We know that the world will go against Israel in the last days. The United States has always been the strongest supporter of the Jewish state, so we can speculate that a broken relationship could be the beginning of the end. On the other hand, if someone who views Israel with a more favorable heart comes into office next year, then we could see a resurgence in friendship and cooperation between the two nations.


What does all of this mean? What does Netanyahu’s speech and the coming election have to do with Christians? It all goes back to the prophetic calendar. Now more than ever, the unthinkable is happening. It wasn’t too long ago that the notion of the United States turning its back on Israel was obtuse. A decade ago, a rift between the two countries was nearly inconceivable.


Today, it’s not only possible but it seems to be quickly heading in that direction. Win or lose, Benjamin Netanyahu has influenced the direction of the world. As believers and diligent watchers of the events of the world, we must watch what plays out and see how it fits in with Bible prophecy. As I said before, the end could start tomorrow or it could be a very long time before we see it play out. Win or lose, we must watch Israel and the Middle East to know how we are to act here in western society.


Prophecy is dangerous because it can take people down conspiratorial rabbit holes and distract us from our mission as Christians. However, it was put in the Bible for a reason and we would be wise to watch it carefully as it all plays out.



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Monday, March 2, 2015

Exposing Why the Pre-Trib Rapture Doctrine will Deceive Many


In debates over the end times, I’ve often been told that denouncing the pre-trib rapture doctrine takes away people’s hope. I always counter that it gives them the most dangerous, misleading false hope of all and prevents believers from fully embracing the Bible today.

We’ll discuss some of the arguments and counterarguments in a future post, but first it’s important to take a very close look at the reasoning behind the creation of a false doctrine like the pre-tribulation rapture. There is already a very blatant attack on the Biblical worldview taking place all around us. Most deceptions are designed to keep people from exploring faith in the first place, let alone embracing Yeshua as our Lord and Savior.


The adversary is not satisfied with deceiving most people. Those who fail to heed the call within their hearts to accept Christ are easy for the adversary to claim, but that’s not enough. He wants as many people as possible and the most satisfying souls for him to steal are those who were on the right path but who fell away at the last moment. He wants Christians. He wants Jews. He wants as many as he can take and the pre-trib rapture doctrine is designed specifically to go after those people.


What the Pre-Trib Rapture Doctrine Does to Christians


Very few people want to go through tribulation. It’s in our human nature to avoid pain, suffering, loss, and trial. This is the primary allure of the pre-trib rapture doctrine. It tells Christians that they will not be around when the real evil sweeps the planet. It makes them believe that they are not going to face the tribulations and trials set forth for the rest of the world. It makes them feel special, protected, and means that they have nothing to worry about.


First and foremost, the last portion is true: we have nothing to worry about. However, it’s for different reasons than what the pre-trib rapture doctrine teaches. With true faith, we have absolutely nothing to worry about in this life because we are not of this world. They can persecute us, torture us, and even kill us, but maintaining our faith to the end will assure us of salvation and eternal life. Technically speaking, we really have nothing to worry about at all as long as we’re prepared to face whatever evils are thrown at us, which is one of the reasons that the pre-trib rapture doctrine is so dangerous.


What happens to someone who is firm in their belief that they won’t face tribulation when the tribulation comes? When extreme hardship beyond anything they’ve experienced is put in front of them, they are much more likely to question their worldview. To make things worse, we can assume that alternate worldviews such as Panspermia, big bang evolution, unification of religion, and world governments will be promoted to Christians experiencing the tribulation when their pre-trib rapture beliefs are shattered.


If someone tells you to close your eyes and open your arms because they’re going to give you a wonderful hug, you’ll be shattered emotionally and physically if they punch you in the gut as hard as they can. If you know that the punch is coming and you’re prepared with your eyes open and your stomach muscles tensed, you’ll be able to recover from the punch more easily.


Regardless of what you’re expecting in the same situation, if it is an actual hug that comes, you’ll be fine. I’m not going to go down the road that many who oppose the pre-tribulation rapture go down by saying, “expect the worst and if the rapture really does come earlier, you’ll be good either way.” That’s leaving a sliver of a possibility of a pre-trib rapture open and that’s simply not the right way to see it.


What the Pre-Trib Rapture Doctrine Does to Jews


An argument can be made that the pre-trib rapture doctrine is designed specifically to keep as many Jews as possible away from the faith. Think about it from their worldview. They are the chosen people and many have been raised to believe that obeying the laws is their path to eternal life. Some have doubts; more Jews are coming over to belief in Yeshua as their Messiah every day.


Now, once the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine is introduced, they can see the situation as giving them the best of both worlds. If their Jewish faith is correct, they only need to keep doing what they’re doing. If the Christian faith is correct, the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine tells them that they will have time to convert once the tribulation starts.


In essence, it would make logical sense to a Jew who is living by Torah but who is considering the possibility of becoming a Messianic Jew to continue to deny that Yeshua is their Messiah. With the pre-trib rapture perspective, they’ll have time to correct their worldview and follow Yeshua once they see millions of Christians taken away.


The pre-trib rapture perspective allows them to hedge their bets. It tells them that if their Jewish teaching is correct, they win. If their Jewish teaching is incorrect, they’ll have the opportunity to switch sides and still win. The pre-tribulation rapture doctrine gives them a valid logical reason to deny the truth today and accept it tomorrow if things pan out. In their minds, the deception means that they can’t lose.


When tribulation comes and the Christians are not raptured, it will reaffirm their erroneous beliefs. Thankfully, they will be shown the truth and many will convert and accept Yeshua at the last hour, but the deception is made to keep them from seeing the truth now. We don’t know for certain what happens to Jews who die without the knowledge of the truth, but there’s a case that can be made that they will face the second death.


What’s Next?


Now that we have an idea of why the pre-tribulation rapture doctrine is so dangerous, it’s time for further exploration. As part of the Compassion and Fear Series, we have produced a few articles on the subject:



We have also started talking about it in our video series. Here’s the first:



If the doctrine itself is a deception, Christians must inform others so that more people are prepared.


The post Exposing Why the Pre-Trib Rapture Doctrine will Deceive Many appeared first on Judeo Christian Church.






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Sunday, March 1, 2015

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