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Prophe-Zine Issue 001
Prophe-Zine #1
Credits
Statement of Faith
& Other Information
Editor/Publisher
Raymond B. Gano
Contributors:
Geoffrey Kragen... Studying Prophecy OR........
Raymond Gano......LastDays????
Ron Wallace.........The Pre-wrath Rapture of the Church
Patti La londe... ....The United Nations World Summit for Social Development
Prophe-Zine News Bites....Assorted authors and news services
Geoffrey Kragen....Browsing With The Bookworm
Cool Resources
Special thanks to: To Toby from Morning Star Magazine, who's help was
really needed and who let me use some of his ideas and articles. Thanks
Toby!!! Thanks also to This Week In Bible Prophecy, whos show and
publications are VERY informative with up to the minute information. (I
love your WWW Site too).
Publication Cycle Notice: Beginning with Prophe-Zine (this issue),
Prophe-Zine will be published (up loaded), on the 15th of each month.
Prophe-Zine is freely distributed to the major on-line services, BBSs, and
to the Internet.
The Editor of Prophe-Zine can be reached by sending e-mail to:
ray673@best.com. Please write the Editor if you are interested in receiving
guidelines for submission to Prophe-Zine
Statement of Faith
THE PURPOSE of Prophe-Zine is to carry out the command of the Lord Christ
Jesus, recorded in
Matthew 28:19:
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations"
Prophe-Zine is a Christian publication grounded in the deity of Christ and
the inerrancy of Scripture. The major intent of the editors is first, the
giving out the message of the Gospel, "For what I received I passed on to
you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day
according to the Scriptures," 1 Cor. 15:3-4.
The Editor of Prophe-Zine holds to a strictly literal and inerrant Bible
interpretation, salvation through Christ alone, a soon pre-tribulation
Rapture of all believers and the establishment of a thousand-year kingdom
on earth. The evangelism of the unbelievers and the exhortation of the
believers take precedence over all other activities of this ministry.
Prophe-Zine may not agree with some of the authors and their beliefs, but
Prophe-Zine believes that we must endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit
(In other words agree to disagree), so Prophe-Zine feels that it must give
equal time to other biblically based doctrines in all fairness.
Eph 4:3 Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
In His service,
Ray Gano
The Legal Stuff About Prophe-Zine
Prophe-Zine
Copyright © 1995 Raymond B Gano
All rights reserved.
Please ask for permission before reproducing or reprinting specific
articles and/or graphics, since some of the individual works appearing in
Prophe-Zine are copyrighted works belonging to their respective authors or
artists and are used here with their permission.
Certain products, titles, and services mentioned are trademarks of their
respective owners. Apple, Mac, and Macintosh are registered trademarks of
Apple Computer, Inc. Prophe-Zine is not affiliated in any way with Apple
Computer, Inc.
Prophe-Zine may be freely distributed under the following conditions:
It may not be included in a software package without prior consent from
the author.
It may not be distributed or reproduced for commercial purposes.
Prophe-Zine's editor uses a Quadra 840 AV Macintosh computer. Programs
include: MacWrite, MacDraw Pro, Color-It, JPEGview, Popcorn, OnLine Bible
KJV 2.1, plus any other freeware that I can get my hands on to fill up the
hard drive and use up even MORE RAM (needs 8 more megs, those graphics are
killing me)
OOPS.... I Forgot
The Editor is currently looking for submissions, artists, writers,
fiction, reviews, columnists and other help for Prophe-Zine articles. If
interested, please write the Editor to receive a guideline for submissions.
Feedback and suggestions from the Prophe-Zine readers are ALWAYS WELCOME! Don't just tell me that you actually liked reading Prophe-Zine, tell me what YOU would like to see in future issues!
******************************************************************
Studying Prophecy OR........
Here's Something Else to Fight About
By: Pastor Geoffrey Kragen - Roseville, CA
This is a online magazine about prophecy . We hope that it will be helpful
in your study of God's word. But, anytime we discuss prophecy it is like
trying to cross a minefield without a map. Of any study in scripture,
prophecy can generate more controversy among believers than any other
topic. Therefore, let's start this discussion by defining the word
prophecy:
"1.a. An inspired utterance of a prophet, viewed as a revelation of divine
will. b. A prediction of the future, made under divine inspiration. c. Such
an inspired message or prediction transmitted orally or in writing." (1)
As you can see, prophecy is not limited to that which foretells the
future. It also includes all inspired revelation given by God to the
prophet. The prophet tells forth God's words. And, these messages may
include foretelling, as well as forth telling.
Generally, when Christians talk about studying prophecy, they mean the
study of eschatology. And that is defined as:
"The doctrine of the last things. Included are two distinct but
inseparable questions: the destiny of the individual -- life, death,
immortality, the intermediate state, and resurrection; and the destiny of
history -- the Day of the Lord, the end of the world, judgment, and the
kingdom of God in the new world." (2)
Frequently, when Christians talk about studying eschatology, the concern
is about future events. This is what leads to the battles. Often, we forget
that the real issue when considering future events isn't the events
themselves. What is vital is remembering that God is in control. He will
restore His creation. He will bring an end to unrighteousness and
suffering.
I have been teaching the book of Revelation to an adult Sunday School
class. It is difficult to do so without getting into the different
prophetic systems. I have reviewed them all, pointing out which approach is
most consistent with a proper handling of scripture.
The primary message of Revelation is not about future events, it is the
Revelation of Jesus Christ. Without the book of Revelation, we have an
incomplete picture of the work of our Lord. The Gospels only present His
first coming. His provision of the payment for sin is recorded there. This
provision allows for peace between the Creator and humanity. And while
Christ does refer to the coming kingdom, His role as the coming judge is
not the primary focus.
In the book of Revelation, Christ's Second Coming is depicted in detail.
And with this coming, He will bring judgment on all who reject His shed
blood as the only payment for sin. Without Revelation, we do not see that
the righteous God must judge and send into eternal darkness all who reject
Him. "The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up
the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he
had done,. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake
of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the
book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20: 13-15).
I mention Revelation specifically because the problems with studying this
book are typical of the study of prophecy in general. We spend so much
energy examining every little detail and nuance through the microscope of
our prophetic system that we lose sight of the big picture. And no matter
how convinced we are that our system is correct, we may be wrong.
Assume for a moment that we live in the pre-incarnation period. We are
committed to understanding God's words. In studying the prophets, we may
well come to the conclusion there will be two Messiahs. One will be the
suffering Messiah. The other will be the ruling Messiah. This conclusion is
wrong. This same problem arises when we are dogmatic about our
understanding of future events. We will only have a complete understanding
of God's program after the fact, not before. However, this doesn't mean we
shouldn't study prophecy.
Our prophetic system shouldn't be a test of our orthodoxy. Methods of
interpretation should be of greater concern. How we view scripture affects
our understanding of the Church and Israel, and therefore our comprehension
of God's character and nature. Any system of interpretation that denies the
distinctions between God's program with Israel and His program with the
Church has an extremely detrimental effect on a complete understanding of
scripture and future events.
Nevertheless, eschatology is important. The study of prophecy is a study
of major sections of scripture. Therefore, it must be undertaken. After
all, we are told to study all scripture. "All Scripture is God-breathed and
is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work"
(2 Timothy 3:16-17).
John F. Walvoord states: "The importance of prophecy should be evident,
even superficially, in examining the Christian faith, for about one fourth
of the Bible was prophecy when it was written. It is evident that God
intended to draw aside the veil of the future and to give some indication
of what His plans and purposes were for the human race and for the universe
as a whole." (3)
The problem isn't studying future events, but getting obsessed by them. We
can be so caught up trying to figure out what is coming that we lose sight
of the fact that we are to continue working right up to the time Christ
comes for us. Jesus put it this way: "Who then is the faithful and wise
servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household
to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that
servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns"
(Matthew 24:45-46).
An obsession with future events can undermine our ministry and Christian
credibility. Some time ago, a group of people sold everything they had,
went and sat on a mountain, and waited for the Rapture. And so now they
have nothing, and their government is hostile about efforts to spread the
Gospel. One ministry has had struggles with expansion, because of the
founder's view of prophecy. He believes that since Christ is returning
immediately, there is no point in expanding. In another case, an
evangelist, who has had a successful ministry to a specific minority group,
now spends more time pushing his prophetic theory than reaching out with
the message of salvation.
God will work out future events as He sees fit. Our understanding of these
events has no effect on how they will occur. Although it is acceptable to
disagree in the specific escathological approach we take, we must never let
this get in the way of unity on the fundamental truths of the Bible. No one
is saved by their understanding of prophetic systems but only by the shed
blood of Christ.
The study of prophecy is vital. The war over systems is destructive. As we
study prophecy we must never forget the words of Paul: "Make every effort
to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one
body and one Spirit -- just as you were called to one hope when you were
called -- one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who
is over all and through all and in all" (Ephesians 4:3-6).
1. AMERICAN HERITAGE ELECTRONIC DICTIONARY, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1992.
2. THE INTERNATIONAL STANDARD BIBLE ENCYCLOPEDIA, William B. Eerdmans
Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, MI, 1982.
3. Walvoord, John F., THE PROPHECY KNOWLEDGE HANDBOOK, Victor Books,
Wheaton, IL, 1990, p. 10.
Statement of Faith
I believe in the Verbal Plenary Inspiration, by GOD, of the Old and New
Testament Scriptures, that they are completely inerrant in the original
autograph, and the only infallible authority in faith and life.
I believe in one GOD, existing in three co-equal persons: Father, Son and
HolySpirit.
I believe that Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the
virgin Mary, and is both fully GOD and fully man.
I believe that the indwelling Holy Spirit is GOD at work in the believer,
to reveal and glorify Jesus Christ.
I believe that GOD is the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe; that man
was created in the image of GOD, that he sinned and thereby incurred not
only physical death, but also spiritual death (which is separation from
GOD); that all human beings are born with a sinful nature and are subject
to the power of the world, the flesh and the Devil.
I believe that Jesus Christ voluntarily died for our sins as a
representative and substitutionary sacrifice and that all who believe in
Him are justified (saved from the penalty of sin and declared righteous) by
grace on the basis of His shed blood and resurrection.
I believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead in His resurrection body,
ascended into Heaven, and presently lives there for us as High Priest and
Advocate.
I believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the
eternal blessedness of the saved, and the everlasting conscious punishment
of the unsaved along with Satan and the other fallen angels.
I believe that all who receive by faith the Lord Jesus Christ are born
again of the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of GOD and members of
the body of Christ.
I believe that the Christian life is not a reformation (self-improvement),
but a transformation, in which Christ lives through the believer's whole
being. Such a life will be pre-eminently characterized by the fruit of the
Holy Spirit.
***************************************************************
LastDays??
Luke 21:7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things
be? and what sign [will there be] when these things shall come to pass?*
Many people in these days are asking these very same questions that the
disciples asked almost 2000 years ago. Are we living in the Last days? I
have to say... That I think that we are . Many Christians through out the
ages thought that they were living in the last days. Even Paul thought that
he was living in the days that Jesus spoke of. It is in my opinion though,
that these are the times that were spoken of in Mat 24 and in Luke21.The
puzzle seems to be coming together and prophesy coming to pass, BUT what
started the ball rolling was a day in 1948 when Israel became a nation.
Mt 24:32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet
tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer [is] nigh:*
There have been many other times in history where people thought that they
were in the last days or could have been the last days. For example, during
WWII many thought that they were not going to be around much longer. Many
though that Hitler was the Antichrist, and in a since he was, but it was
not THE Antichrist. Many think that the book of Revelation already
happened in the year 70 A.D..... Did it?
How do we now that these might be the Last Days? Christ told his apostles
and us how to know and how to look for this time.
Mat 24: 3 - 14
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him
privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what [shall be]
the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not
troubled: for all [these things] must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and
there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these [are] the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and
ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and
shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a
witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.*
Are the things spoken of in Matthew 24 coming to pass? Let's look at what
Jesus said would happen....
1. Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name,
saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. ..... And many false prophets
shall rise, and shall deceive many.
Fri, 30 Sep 1994 AP Faux Davids
JERUSALEM (AP) -- Be it mountain air, mental disorders or
messages from God -- something is convincing hundreds of visitors to
Jerusalem they are Jesus,
John the Baptist or King David reborn. Local experts have diagnosed the
visitors to the holy city with the ``Jerusalem Syndrome,'' first
recognized 14
years ago.
Local experts have diagnosed the visitors to the holy city with the
``Jerusalem Syndrome,'' first recognized 14 years ago. Yair Bar-El, who
has treated 470
tourists with the syndrome, thinks would-be prophets are a growth
industry with
the approach of the year 2000.......
Is this possible what Jesus meant? Is this Prophesy come true? What about
David Koresh, and the MANY others who have called them self Jesus or the
Christ?
What about those to come?
"... an age of miracles ..." says Time
"... signs of His presence ..." says Creme
"The past few years have been an age of miracles. Unimaginable events
have succeeded one another as if the Creator had whistled up a new
world. The Berlin wall tumbles. The Soviet Empire melts away. Nelson
Mandela, free at last, brings democracy to black South Africans ...
Israelis and Palestinians can share the land both call home."
(Time magazine, 13 September 1993)
==> Christ's miraculous appearance in Nairobi
(Kenya Times, Kenya)
==> Miracle waters said to cure AIDS and cancer
(Washington Post, USA)
==> Jesus appears to nun every Thursday
(Hello! magazine, UK)
==> Madonna statues weep tears of blood
(The Guardian, UK)
==> `Angel' bids South Africans to pray for peace
(Reuters)
==> Buthelezi: change of heart due to `divine intervention'
(Newsweek)
==> Crosses of Light seen by thousands
(Pasadena Star-News, USA)
==> The disappearing hitchhiker
(Trouw, Netherlands)
==> Five men `speaking in tongues' receive identical message
(Share International)
Evidence is mounting worldwide that, in spite of the chaos and
frustration which seem to characterize our times, an extraordinary
spiritual force is making itself seen and felt by people in every walk
of life. Millions can now claim personal experience of some
`miraculous' phenomenon.
British author Benjamin Creme presents a powerful and provocative
explanation. He claims that humanity now stands on the thresh hold of a
new and brilliant civilization to be ushered in by a group of highly
advanced individuals, the Masters of Wisdom. At their head -- and now
physically present in the world, is Maitreya, the Christ -- the World
Teacher Who embodies the expectations of all the world's religions,
although they await Him under different names.
Maitreya is here, says Creme, to inspire humanity to share the
world's resources and create more equitable political and economic
structures -- so that all may have the basic necessities of life: food,
shelter, health care and education..........
2. And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not
troubled: for all [these things] must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Look at the many wars going on today. I would estimate that half, or
close too, of
the world is at war or on the brink of war.
Transmitted: 95-01-29 15:28:20 EST War could last 50 years, Chechen
leader says
BERLIN, Jan 29 (Reuter) - The war in Chechnya could last for 50
years unless Russia finds a peaceful solution, Chechen separatist
leader Dzhokhar Dudayev was quoted as saying by a German
newspaper on Sunday..........
This is a letter that was posted in many of theUsenet news groups on the
Internet telling people about the possible war in Mexico.
Date: Wed, 30 Nov 1994 17:00:03
Dear Friends,
It is with great sadness and concern that
we send these greetings of solidarity.
Conditions in Mexico are quickly deteriorating
and we are preparing for the growing
possibility of war in Mexico. Troop movements
continue, with increased repression against
popular movements..........
Sincerely, Cecilia Rodriguez
National Commission for Democracy in Mexico,
USA
3. And there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes....
Famines
We are seeing much of this today, India, Ethiopia, and many others have
mass famine. Look at all those here in the US who go to bed without a meal.
Pestilences
In the Santa Clara Valley, California they have been hit hard with the
massive Mediterranean Fruit Fly invasion. Spain is suffering problems with
their orange fields. Many other countries are suffering other types of
pestilence. In Hawaii there are termites that eat concrete destroying
houses and the such. To make things worse the termites have migrated to the
mainland.
Earthquakes
USA Today wrote about a possible earthquake in Tokyo and how it could
effect the whole world.
A Kobe-strength earthquake in Tokyo could cripple the world's second-
largest economy, send global markets into chaos and tip the USA into
recession. Various studies by Japanese economists and bankers have
concluded that the physical devastation in Tokyo would be followed by
powerful economic aftershocks felt far beyond Japan's shores.*
Aprox. every 70 years a great quake hits Tokyo. The last was in 1923. Last
year Tokyo celebrated the 70 year remembrance of the is great quake. Tokyo
has admitted that it is not prepared to with stand a great quake like the
one that hit Kobe. (7.2 Richter)
Now if a quake of this magnitude would hit Tokyo today, it would cripple
the World economy, bringing to to it knees.
WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO TOKYO'S ECONOMY DUE TO A DISASTER?
The yen would gyrate wildly as investors flee to dollars, German
marks and other
safe currencies. Global interest rates would rise as the Japanese
government borrowed billions at home and abroad to finance reconstruction.
Stock indexes around the world would nose-dive as investors reacted to
higher interest rates and Japanese insurance companies began selling their
$36 billion in overseas assets to help pay claims.*
WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO JAPANESE INVESTORS STOCKS AND BONDS?
As recently as September, Japanese investors held about $130 billion -
or 3
percent - of all U.S. Treasury securities outstanding. They accounted for 13
percent of the $311 billion invested in U.S. stocks and bonds by foreign
investors, according to the Securities Industry Association. Much of that
capital could head back to Japan to pay for rebuilding.*
* Source: USA TODAY/Gannett National Information Network
USA TODAY Update Jan. 20-22, 1995
Is it possible that this might bring about a One World Currency? Or a
Great Leader to "Save the World" in its time of Financial need?
4. All these [are] the beginning of sorrows.Then shall they deliver you up
to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations
for my name's sake.
Here we thought that persecution of Christians were things of the past,
"only in the Roman times" you might say. Well even today Christians are
being killed for taking a stand for Jesus and thier beliefs.
Thu, 24 Nov 1994 00:00:18 Chinese Christians Beaten
BEIJING (AP) -- Christians trying to block the government from
sacking their pro-democracy pastor have been harassed and beaten by
police, and a foreign reporter was detained Thursday for visiting
one of them.
At least six Christians belonging to the Gangwashi church, the
most popular in Beijing, say they have been followed since last
week by police who have vandalized their bicycles.......
Mon, 05 Dec 1994 12:50:18 Four Christians crucified in Sudan
VATICAN CITY (Reuter) - A Roman Catholic bishop in war-torn
southern Sudan said in comments published Monday that four Arab
Christians were whipped and crucified by security forces for
refusing to reconvert to Islam........
Look what is happening in our own nation. Christians are not being killed,
but it is NOT "politically correct" to be a Christian or to be out spoken
about our Lord. How long will it be before we give our lives for our
religion? Many say "Oh that will never happen", What did we do about Hitler
killing millions of Jews? It took us (United States) long enough to get
involved in the Second World War. Government officials are now starting to
climb on the Anti-Christian band wagon.
"To believe in Bible prophesy is unforgivable, not only
is this idea heretical, it is an appallingly, self
fulfilling prophesy of doom."--- Al Gore, Vice President United States
CULTIST DEFINITION: " A cultist is one who has strong belief in the Bible
and
the Second Coming of Christ; who frequently attends Bible studies; Who has a
high level of financial giving to a Christian cause; who home schools his
children; who has accumulated survival foods and has a strong belief in
the 2nd
amendment, and who distrusts big government"
-- Janet Reno, Attorney General United States
It has even gone as far as erecting idols in our cities.
CT9/12/94 NEWS: City Erects Pagan Sculpture
Will Quetzalcoatl statue violate Establishment Clause?
By Mark A. Kellner in San Jose.
A controversial sculpture of a pre-Columbian deity is due to be
unveiled in a San Jose, California, park this month after years of debate
and the expenditure of an estimated $500,000 in public funds. At the
same time, a vocal opponent of the statue, which features Aztec deity
Quetzalcoatl, said his outspoken stand cost him reappointment to a
prominent city panel.
The Quetzalcoatl statue will rise in a park dedicated to the memory of
Cesar Chavez, late founder of the United Farm Worker's union. The park
itself stands opposite a Roman Catholic cathedral. The 25-foot-high statue
was proposed in 1991 by Blanca Alvarado, then a city council member
and now vice mayor, who said the sculpture would serve as a tribute to
the city's Mexican past -- and spiritual heritage.
"There has been for me a spiritual renaissance in researching the
attributes of Quetzalcoatl," Alvarado told the city's Urban Review Design
Board in 1992. "If we use this as a tool, which is another benefit for the
city, . . . it is a way of teaching our children.".............
They (ones against Christianity) have taken God out of the classroom. All
in the name of separation of Church and State, but they bring into the
classroom T.M., goddess worship, Wicca, Pantheism, ect....
Tue, 06 Dec 1994 19:20:12 Creation Settlement Reached
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- A school district has agreed not to teach the
Bible's story of the earth's creation in science classes to settle
a lawsuit filed by two students.
The Moon Area School District near Pittsburgh settled with the
students in federal court last week, the western Pennsylvania
chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union said Tuesday.
The students alleged that a ninth-grade biology lesson last
spring at Moon High School violated the legally required separation of
church and state.......
I find it ironic that we are now "offending others in our diverse
community" with the spread of the Gospel.....
MAYOR DENIES EVICTING JESUS 11/30/94
By Scott Herhold Mercury News Staff Writer
As an outcry mounted against the exile of the Nativity scene from a
downtown San Jose park, San Jose Mayor Susan Hammer forcefully
denied Tuesday that she had any role in evicting the Baby Jesus.
Hammer disputed the contention of some Christmas in the Park board
members that her office had prodded the organizers of the display to
move the Nativity scene to St. Joseph's Cathedral.
But in a talk with reporters, the mayor said she supported the decision
to move the Nativity scene.
''We're a diverse community,'' she said. ''And the creche in the park
was offensive to a significant part of the community.''
While Hammer said she never personally became involved with the
move, the mayor's chief aide has acknowledged counseling the
Christmas in the Park organizers to speak to Jewish leaders who
questioned the Nativity scene on city land at Plaza de Cesar Chavez........
Are we living in the "last days"? I do not know, but I have to agree with
many Bible scholars that this is the first time since the time of Christ
that all the pieces of the puzzle fit.
Many of the things spoken of in Matthew 24 and Luke 21 are coming to pass
or have come to pass......are you ready? Who do You serve?
Revelation 14: 9 - 11
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man
worship the beast and his image, and receive [his] mark in his forehead, or
in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured
out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be
tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and
in the presence of the Lamb:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and
they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and
whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.*
John 3: 16 - 18
16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that
the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is
condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only
begotten Son of God.*
In His service,
Raymond Gano
ray673@netcom.com
*All Bible verses are taken from the King James version using Online Bible 2.1
*************************************************************
An Exhortational Introduction to
The Pre-wrath Rapture of the Church
By R. G. Wallace
Jesus taught his disciples the things concerning the kingdom of God. This
of necessity included the subject of His return to the earth in fulfillment
of the OT Day of the LORD prophecies as well as the signs of the end of the
age.
1. He taught the FACT of His return.
2. He taught about events preceding His return.
3. He taught about the physical signs that would precede His return.
4. And a little bit about what would happen after His return.
The disciples as the seed pod for the church of Christ, were taught
information pertinent to them. And through them, as representatives of the
church, information pertinent to the whole church.
The church therefore received as its heritage the teachings of Jesus to
the disciples. And as its heritage, those teachings are pertinent to the
church and applicable to the church just as if they had been directly
taught to each member of the church.
The significance of this is seen when we discuss the Olivet Discourse.
What Jesus taught the disciples was pertinent to them and applicable to
them as representatives of the church. And through them, it was pertinent
to and applicable to the church as a whole.
So then, what we see in that passage, is the history of the church, as
taught with the disciples in mind and through them, with the whole church
in mind. and that history is viewed without interruption until the
tribulation of those days is cut short by the Day of the LORD arrival of
Jesus and the angels of God are sent forth to gather His elect from the 4
winds of heaven.
The eleven disciples and Paul, as the 12 apostles of the lamb, were then
used by God to pass on this heritage of doctrine to the church and to add
to it as the Holy Spirit provided amplification. And in the amplification
of that eschatological heritage, we have a very clear confirmation that the
history of the church will progress without interruption into and to the
end of that great oppression of the antichrist and be raptured out from
this world at the Day of the LORD, when God the Father will pour out His
wrath and the wrath of the Lamb upon the kingdom of the beast and upon the
unbelievers of the whole world. It is in view of the signs which are to
precede the Day of the LORD that we find comfort as at Luke 21.28.
Luke 21.28
Now when these things begin to happen, straighten up and life up your
heads, because your redemption is drawing near.
Some people say that an understanding of prophecy and the rapture is not
important. Let me adamantly disagree. If the Lord shall return for His
church before that 7 year period of time known in the bible as the 70th
week of Daniel or indeed prior to that oppressive reign of antichrist known
as the great tribulation, then the church can continue about its business
with little concern about the awesome suffering and oppression that will
occur on the earth when they are gone.
Christians can continue in their apathy and indifference to spiritual
values and continue to live in misery, frustration and stress during the
time of their stay here on earth. For the sad reality of it all, is that
most Christians are indeed, living a life far removed from the quality of
life Christ promised us with the words, peace and joy.
HOWEVER, if Christ shall return at the end of the great tribulation as He
said He would in Matthew 24, then it should be clear to most that the
church is ill-prepared to face the nature of that persecution which will
come upon them from the oppressive reign of the beast.
It is one thing for Christians, here in America, to be living with an
abundance of material possessions and still be miserable and frustrated
with life. But it is quite another thing to face the economic controls of
the beast which will place all Christians in a category worse than
homeless- being unable to conduct ANY financial transactions without the
mark of the beast.
It is then that the reality of their inner misery will be open and made
clear to them for they will no longer have the possessions of this life to
hide in as an escape from the emptiness in their soul. And they will be
unable to take the mark of the beast in an attempt to alleviate those
economic woes, for God will not allow any of His children to accept that
mark once they have trusted in Christ as savior.
Thus, their life will be one of wandering or martyrdom or death by divine
discipline. And if it is a life of wandering, the believer needs to be
prepared with bible truth in his soul. God's word in the soul is the only
thing that can provide true peace and joy, both now, as well as during the
time of the great oppression.
But preparation must be accomplished NOW, before the time of oppression
arrives. For then it will be too late to stock pile the truth in your
soul. We are exhorted to redeem the time because the days are evil. This
is a plea to learn what the will of the Lord is and saturate our souls with
truth. God's system for doing this is through a pastor-teacher in a local
church. And it is within this context that the writer of Hebrews exhorts
us to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of
some is, but we are to be encouraging one another day after day and even to
a much greater degree as you see the DAY approaching. We should follow the
example of Moses that we find at Psalm 90:12.
Psalm 90:12
So teach us to assign our days so that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
The urgency for spiritual growth - growth in grace and knowledge - is
pressed upon us NOW. There will come a time when such growth will be very
difficult if even possible at all. For a famine is coming upon the whole
land. Amos tells us of the principle of spiritual famine sent by God:
Amos 8.11-13.
Amos 8.11-13
V. 11, Behold there are days coming, declares the Lord Yahweh,
when I will send famine on the land. Not famine for food
nor thirst for water, but rather, for hearing the words of
Yahweh.
V. 12, And they will stagger from sea to sea, and from the north to
theeast to search for the word of Yahweh, but they will not
find it.
V. 13, In that day, the beautiful maidens and the young men will
faint from THIRST.
They will weaken and faint from *spiritual* thirst, because of a hunger
and need for the word of God in the soul, but they will find no strength -
either within themselves to be at peace - or to be a testimony for the
truth to the many unbelievers who will be faced with the decision to take
the mark of the beast or not.
The issue then for a proper understanding of the prophetic program as God
has revealed it to us in His word, is the issue of preparation. Christians
know so little about God and about His word, the bible. And their quality
of life is so unfulfilling in comparison to the abundant life of peace and
joy that Jesus promised us. But what will happen when the crisis is upon
them and they are not prepared to deal with it? Then the experience of
Proverbs 1.24-31 will be the sad reality for a vast majority of Christians
even as it is, in fact, a very present reality for so many of them today.
Proverbs 1.24-31
Because I called, and you refused; I stretched out my hand, and
no one paid attention; And you neglected all my counsel and
did not want my reproof; I will even laugh at your calamity; I will
mock when your dread comes; when your dread comes like a
storm, and your calamity comes on like a whirlwind, when
distress and anguish come on you. Then they will call on me,
but I will not answer;
(remember the famine)
they will seek me diligently, but they shall not find me,
because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of
the LORD. They would not accept my counsel; they spurned
all my reproof. So they shall eat of the fruit of their own way,
and be satiated with their own devices. (NASB)
You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard
lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you fall
from your own steadfastness. But grow in the grace and knowledge
of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now
and to the day of eternity. Amen. 2 Peter 3.17-18 (NASB)
In Grace and truth, Ron
*Usually, scripture quotations are the author's translation, but will
closely parallel the NASB. When the NASB is cited it will be from
The International Inductive Study Bible, 1993.
Ron Wallace:
Brief Biographical Information:
I Trusted in Christ as my savior in April of 1966 and from the
beginning was blessed with good solid bible teaching that placed emphasis
on the original languages of the bible and comparing scripture with
scripture.
I have the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher and was ordained in
November of 1973 through Brookings Bible Church in Brookings, Oregon. I am
currently pastoring a small church in Milpitas, California called Calaveras
Bible Fellowship and have been serving that small group of believers since
1984.
Brief Doctrinal Statement in an eschatological context:
1. All Scripture is Inspired by God:
All scripture consists of the 66 books of the bible
and is the absolute authority on all matters of life
and worship, and is the only sure guide for under-
standing God's plans for the end times.
2. Jesus Christ as God come in the flesh, is the absolute
center of the plan of the Godhead for dealing with the
human race and the angels. And in that all things
were created BY Him and FOR Him, it is the testimony
concerning Jesus which is the essense (spirit) of prophecy.
3. The future for the human race as revealed in the bible,
holds both blessing and cursing. Every aspect of God's
plan considers these two destinies for man and always
has as its focal point, the deliverance from eternal
judgment and the possession of eternal life with God.
This possession of eternal life with God is made avail-
able to the entire human race but only becomes a reality
to those who place unconditional trust in Jesus Christ
and embrace Him as the one who paid the penalty for sins.
4. The Rapture: At the beginning of the Day of the LORD,
Jesus Christ will return in the clouds of the sky and
gather to Himself all church age believers both living
and dead. At this time, the judgment-wrath of God the
Father and of the Lamb will be poured out on the world
and will culminate in the final battle of Armageddon.
After this Satan will be bound in the abyss and Christ
will reign physically on the earth for 1000 years.
5. This position on the rapture has been labeled as Pre-wrath.
The basic premise is as follows:
A. The tribulation and the great tribulation are defined
as the same period of time which begins at the mid-point
of the 70th week of Daniel.
B. The church will enter into the 70th week of Daniel and
be persecuted under the oppressive reign of the beast
until such unknown time as that tribulation will be
cut short by the arrival of the Day of the LORD.
C. The tribulation does not constitute God's wrath, but
the wrath of man on man and the wrath of Satan on man.
D. The wrath of God will be poured out at the Day of the
Lord and is described by the trumpets and bowls of the
book of the Revelation.
E. The approach to the book of Revelation is futurist.
The book should be taken chronological except for
several chapters that back-track in order to relate
many different factors to the same point of reference
at the mid-point of the week. But the seals, trumpets
and bowls are chronolgical and do not overlap.
*******************************************************************
The United Nations World Summit for Social Development
by Patti Lalonde
As Reported in
The Christian World Report
Last month we looked at the Revived Roman Empire in comparison with the
ancient Holy Roman Empire in light of the planned invasion of Haiti by
international forces. I provided a quote from The Decline and Fall of the
Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon and compared similarities of how the ancient
Romans provided Pax Romana "by a constant preparation of war" with the
peacekeeping efforts of the world community under the auspices of the
United Nations.
This month I'd like to look at a different aspect of Pax Romana. Let's
look again at the quote from The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire first
to refresh our memories:
"In the second century of the Christian era, the Empire of Rome
comprehended the fairest part of the earth, and the most civilized portion
of mankind. The frontiers of that extensive monarchy were guarded by
ancient renown and disciplined valour. The gentle but powerful influence of
laws and manners had gradually cemented the union of the provinces. Their
peaceful inhabitants enjoyed and abused the advantages of wealth and
luxury. The image of a free constitution was preserved with decent
reverence: the Roman senate appeared to possess the sovereign authority,
and devolved on the emperors all the executive powers of government...
"The Roman name was revered among the most remote nations of the earth.
The fiercest barbarians frequently submitted their differences to the
arbitration of the emperor...
"The terror of the Roman arms added weight and dignity to the moderation
of the emperors. They preserved peace by a constant preparation of war; and
while justice regulated their conduct, they announced to the nations on
their confines that they were as little disposed to endure as to offer
injury."
As I mentioned in last month's issue of The Christian World Report, as
students of Bible prophecy we believe that the last and final empire of man
will be an extension of the Holy Roman Empire, a Revived Roman Empire.
We can see in the world today a push towards such an empire as described
by Gibbon, an empire where "peaceful inhabitants" enjoy and abuse "the
advantages of wealth and luxury." And where necessary, this semblance of
universal peace is to be preserved "by a constant preparation for war."
Globalists today are trying to create a United Nations with uncanny
similarities to the Roman senate which "appeared to possess the sovereign
authority, and devolved on the emperors all the executive powers of
government."
One way to create universal peace and international well-being is
through peacekeeping efforts, the "terror of the Roman arms."
Another way we are told is through prosperity, or an agenda for
development. Enter the United Nations World Summit for Social Development
which is to take place in Copenhagen, Denmark March 6-12, 1995.
According to a May 1994 fact sheet distributed by the U.N., the Summit
will focus on three key issues:
Reduction and elimination of widespread poverty; Productive employment
and the reduction of unemployment; Social integration
In explaining the decision to have such a Summit the U.N. noted,
"[D]evelopment is central to the goals of the United Nations.
"'Increased international cooperation for economic and social
development would significantly contribute to the strengthening of
international peace and security', the General Assembly declared in
December 1992, in a resolution authorizing the Social Summit...
"'We must integrate the previously separate concepts of peace and
security on the one hand, and social and economic development on the
other', the Secretary-General said. 'Development must now be seen as part
of the task of building a more secure and peaceful world for everyone.'"
In other words, the reason for the summit is to establish universal
peace, Pax Romana, by attacking poverty. Unemployment we are told leads to
poverty. Poverty in turn leads to social disorder. And social disorder
breeds insecurity and instability both militarily and territorially. So the
idea is to wipe out poverty and end the need for war.
God tells us, however, that wars do not occur because Mr. Jones has
twice as much money as Mr. Smith. Wars come about when Mr. Smith allows
jealousy and greed to overtake him and then tries to take what belongs to
Mr. Jones. Now that is not to say that Mr. Jones shouldn't show charity
toward Mr. Smith.
In James 4:1-3 we read:
"From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence,
even of your lusts that war in your members?
"Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain:
ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.
"Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may
consume it upon your lusts."
Man, however, has decided to ignore God's plans and is in the process of
developing his own, a form of global socialism. The U.N. World Summit for
Social Development is man's scheme for sharing the wealth and creating an
imposter millennial kingdom.
How do global planners intend to implement such a utopian order? Well
they already have gotten started. Two of the vehicles on the road to global
socialism are education and social assistance programs.
D.L. Cuddy, Ph.D. observes ["The Road to Socialism"; This Week in Bible
Prophecy magazine; Dec. 1994], "Ultimately, the 'manipulation' would take
the form of a dialectical process toward a world of synthesis. The thesis
of Western capitalism and antithesis of Eastern communism would synthesize
into World Socialism, as John Dewey in Individualism, Old and New (1930)
said 'We are in for some kind of socialism, call it whatever name we
please, and no matter what it will be called when it is realized.' Fabian
Socialist H.G. Wells explained it further in Experiment in Autobiography
(1934), when he commented: 'The organization of this that I call the Open
Conspiracy, the vocation of a greater sounder fellow to the Communist
essay, an adequately implemented Liberal Socialism, which will ultimately
supply teaching, coercive directive public services to the whole world, is
the immediate task.'" [emphasis added]
Amongst eleven major Summit objectives listed in a U.N. fact sheet are:
"Promote legal protection, effective social welfare and education and
training for ALL." [emphasis added] The other ten objectives are as
follows:
Place the needs of people at the centre of development;
Secure international, governmental and NGO policies that promote social
development and enable the active involvement of all citizens;
Place special priority on the social development needs of the least
developed countries;
Attain an appropriate balance between economic efficiency and social
justice in growth-oriented, equitable and sustainable development
environments, in accordance with nationally defined priorities;
Address creatively the interaction between the social function of the
State, market responses to social demands and the imperatives of
sustainable development;
Identify common problems of socially marginalized anddisadvantaged
groups and promote their social integration and attainment of equal
opportunities;
Ensure effective delivery of social services to the disadvantaged;
Mobilize resources for social development at the local, national,
regional and international levels;
Recommend effective actions and policies for the UN system in the sphere
of social development, and particularly for the Commission for Social
Development.
While education enables the modification of behavior and attitude worthy
of a world citizen, and social programs allow the global planners to get
their foot in the door of every home, there is also another need to ensure
an equal share of the wealth. That need is the dismantling of trade
barriers. According to the U.N., "Globalization--the growing linkage of
economic and political policies, trends, even modes of behaviour and
consumer habits--is transforming the evolution of modern society.
"The interdependence of economic and financial decisions, often via
multinational corporations, has helped fuel a rapid expansion of markets.
But the benefits are not being apportioned equally, as in the case of
developing countries that have not been able to share in globalized foreign
investments. New forms of international cooperation must be devised that
will make it possible for all to share in the positive aspects of economic
globalization."
This is where the new World Trade Organization comes in, which I also
discussed in the November issue of The Christian World Report.
D.L. Cuddy, Ph.D. notes that "advocates of a World Socialist Government
believe that a one-world economy is a necessary step in securing their
ultimate goal. GATT began in 1947, and regarding the latest round (the
Uruguay Round) of the GATT negotiations, even liberal Harvard University
law professor Lawrence Tribe has said it 'would entail a significant shift
of sovereignty from state and local governments to the World Trad
Organization (WTO).' In the European Union's April 1994 Report on the
United States Barriers to Trade and Investment, it states:
'The comprehensive multilateral dispute settlement mechanism which has
been agreed upon in the framework of the World Trade Organization
will...oblige (countries) to bring their domestic legislation into
conformity with Uruguay Round agreements.
' Article XVI of WTO specifically states this as well as that its Dispute
Settlement Board will be the final judge concerning whether WTO's global
rules of trade and tariffs have been met. All nations must abide by these
judgments, and financial penalties and sanctions can be imposed if WTO's
rules aren't met." ("The Road To Socialism"; This Week in Bible Prophecy
magazine; Dec. 1994)
According to Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, socialism is "any
various economic and political theories advocating collective or
governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and
distribution of goods."
So the purpose of the Summit is for the Roman senate to plan ways for
the emperors to go home to their individual nation- states and change
domestic laws that will work toward an equal distribution of goods and the
eradication of poverty. Remember, in socialism the good of the group
outweighs the rights of individuals.
And what happens if the emperors don't? According to U.N. literature on
the Summit, we could face a "global nervous breakdown." The U.N. notes,
"While some symptoms such as crimes, are external, others are internal,
invisible, lodged in the psyches of individuals who can no longer rely on
their jobs to define their worth or their place in society. As the
contagion of jobless growth spreads, it brings with it a sense of
isolation, social exclusion and uncertainty.
"All these symptoms of dysfunctional societies are interactive and have
produced, in the words of a non-governmental organization delegate to the
first meeting of the Summit Preparatory Committee in 1994, a world
experiencing a 'global
nervous breakdown.'"
Put the crisis of social disintegration and poverty together with the
population and environmental crises and the pull towards world government
is hard to resist. Just as God prophesied, mankind is in for a societal
evolution toward a new world order.
Society is being pushed to a point of critical instability, 'a global
nervous breakdown,' we are told. There is someone waiting in the wings of
the global stage who will appear to come forth with all the answers. When
the Rapture takes place, the restraining influence of the Holy Spirit is
removed, and the man of sin is revealed, a new society will have evolved
over which the Antichrist will rule for a time, before it all starts to
fall apart at the seams.
*********************************************************************
Prophe-Zine News Bites
A Phone Number For Life
A 500 number is forever. This fall, individuals will be able to get a
lifetime phone number. AT&T began taking reservations last week for
permanent personal numbers, called True Connections, enabling subscribers
to be reached anywhere in the world 24 hours a day by those who know the
number. Individuals with these numbers, which carry a 500 area code, will
call a computerized data bank and punch in a phone number--a car phone,
beach home or friend's house, say--to which calls made to the 500 number
are to be forwarded. AT&T plans to charge subscribers a monthly fee of less
than $10 for the 500 service; callers will pay a flat fee, as yet
undetermined, per call. GTE, MCI and Sprint, among other long-distance
carriers, plan to offer 500 numbers by the end of the year.
-U.S. News & World Report; July 25, 1994
Jesse Jackson Likens Christian Coalition to Nazis
In an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times, the Rev. Jesse Jackson
compared the Christian Coalition to Nazis and slave owners. "The Christian
Coalition was a strong force in Germany," he reportedly said according to a
Washington Times article (Dec. 12-18, 1994). "It laid down a suitable
scientific, theological rationale for the tragedy in Germany. The Christian
Coalition was very much in evidence there."
Furthermore, according to the Washington Times article, "Mr. Jackson
also said that 19th century Christian conservatives justified keeping
blacks in chains and that [Martin Luther] King went to segregated
Birmingham, Ala., in the 1960s 'to fight the Christian Coalition.'
"'There is something in their pronouncements [that is] fundamentally
anti-Semitic and racist and with a gross insensitivity toward people that
they purport to represent,' he added."
Apparently Jackson's remarks not only inflamed the religious right, but
they also were denounced by other religious right critics.
"Abraham Foxman," continues The Washington Times article, Christian
Coalition.'
"'There is something in their pronouncements [that is] fundamentally
anti-Semitic and racist and with a gross insensitivity toward people that
they purport to represent,' he added."
Apparently Jackson's remarks not only inflamed the religious right, but
they also were denounced by other religious right critics.
"Abraham Foxman," continues The Washington Times article, "executive
director of the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith said recent remarks
by Mr. Jackson during appearances in New York and Chicago were
'inaccurate,' 'inflammatory,' 'insensitive' and 'horrendous analogies.' ...
"The ADL's Foxman said: 'We certainly have been critical of the
religious right, but to compare them to Nazism, to South African racism, is
at best insensitive and is at worst bigoted.'
...
"The New York Post reported that Mr. Jackson was jeered when he attacked
conservatives in a speech at a Manhattan synagogue.
"'If this were Germany, we would call it facism. If this were South
Africa, we would call it racism. Here we call it conservatism,' he
reportedly said of conservative Christians."
U.S. TO SIGN U.N.CONVENTION ON RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
February 10, 1995
President Clinton has decided that the United States will sign the
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Convention will
be signed next week by the United States Permanent Representative to the
United Nations, Madeleine Albright.
The announcement was made by the First Lady in remarks delivered today
at James Grant's Memorial Service. James Grant, the former lifetime
working for children and was a tireless advocate on behalf of the
Convention.
"Nobody fought harder than Jim for this Convention and its noble cause
-- to promote the well-being and protect the basic rights of children
throughout the world," the First Lady said. "I know how happy and proud he
would have been to see our country add its name to the Convention. We owe
it to him and to the children to whom he dedicated his life."
The Convention has been described by Pope John Paul II as embodying
"fundamental values which are at the root of upright, orderly social life,"
most prominently of all, the need to afford special protection to children
and the central role of the family. To date, the Convention has been
either signed or joined by over 175 countries, including all major
industrialized countries. It will be signed next week by Madeleine
Albright, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations.
When he sends the Convention to the Senate to seek advice and consent
for ratification, President Clinton will ask for a number of reservations
and understandings. In particular, they will protect the rights of the
various states under the nation's federal system of government and maintain
the country's ability to use existing tools of the criminal justice system
in appropriate cases. The Convention will not serve as a basis for
litigation in domestic courts.
ICAO Investigates Passport and Visa Technology
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is an international
body responsible for the standardization of travel documents. The ICAO's
Technical Advisory Group on Machine-Readable Travel Documents is currently
considering modernizing passports and visas around the world. It has sent
out a Request for Information on areas such as biometrics, holograms,
document storage devices etc.
According to PIN [Personal Identification News; July/Aug. 1994], "The
reason for ICAO's interest in new technologies is apparent. The emergence
of the global economy and changes in global politics are placing increased
pressure on the international travel system. Counterfeiting and alteration
of passport data are on the rise and increasingly crowded ports of entry
can make it easier for people to slip through the system. At the same time,
promising technologies such as biometrics appear to be maturing to the
point where they are worthy of consideration."
Big Birds Get Microchips
Currently, ostriches, emus, and rheas are raised commercially in the
United States.
Zoann Parker, a ratite specialist at the Penn State Cooperative Extension
in Lancaster, Pa., says that the ratite industry of the 1990s reflects
trends in the cattle industry of the 1800s, which also started as a breeder
market.
As those early ranchers knew, rustlers can pose a problem. But unlike
the solution of branding cattle, these avian livestock get "microchipped"
instead. The chips emit a signal, "like a social security number,"
according to Parker, and are small enough to slip into a hypodermic needle.
Soon after the bird's birth, the microchip is injected into its fatty
tissue or muscle, "causing no harm to the animal whatsoever," he explains.
The bird can then be identified with a handheld microchip reader. "Every
bird must be microchipped in order to be transported across state lines or
be insured," says Parker. "You'd have to literally tear the bird apart to
get the chip out."
-Science News, Vol. 146; July 30, 1994
Smart Cards Endorsed by MasterCard
MasterCard International announced this summer that it has started a
program which will promote the distribution and acceptance of smart cards
by its 22,000 affiliated banks and 12,000,000 retail outlets.
According to President and Chief Executive Officer Eugene Lockhart, part
of the reason to move to smart cards is the reduction of fraud. It is
expected that a reduction in card fraud loss will amount to $3 billion U.S.
over seven years.
Gorby Update
According to the April 19th Earth Times, A United Nations publication,
Mikhail Gorbachev has signed an agreement with globalist heavyweight
Maurice Strong to compose an "Earth Charter," which would create an
international environmental regulatory code. Gorbachev's Green Cross
organization will collaborate with the Costa Rica-based Earth Council to
write the charter, which will be presented to the UN in 1995.
-The New American; May 30, 1994
Visa demonstrates purse card
Each of the 1500 senior managers of Visa's member banks were given an
electronic purse card at an annual meeting in Cancun this year. The card
s
were used to purchase items like pop and newspapers from vending machines.
The demonstration was part of Visa's goal of building a "Less Cash Society."
The card sported a picture of a Mayan Temple and the slogan, "One World,
One Currency, VISA."
***************************************************************
Browsing With The Bookworm
Book Review By Geoffrey Kragen
CHRISTIANITY IN CRISIS
By Hank Hanegraaff
Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, OR, 1993
Who said the following statements? (For the answers, see the end of this
review.)
(a) "Satan Conquered Jesus on the Cross."
(b) "Never, ever, ever go to the Lord and say, 'If it be thy will ...'
Don't allow such faith-destroying words to be spoken from your mouth."
(c) "God has to be given permission to work in this earth realm on behalf
of man. ... Yes! You are in control! So, if man has control, who no
longer has it? God."
(d) "Man was created on terms of equality with God, and he could stand in
God's presence without any consciousness of inferiority." (1)
Do these quotes sound like cult teachings? They may be, but they come from
individuals who are accepted by many Christians as orthodox Bible teachers.
"Christianity In Crisis" was written to expose heretical teachings invading
the Christian community.
Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute, has done a
masterful job of research in developing this book. He exposes to the light
of Scripture the heretical teachings of some of the most well-known
proponents of the "Positive Confession" message.
Dr. Norman L. Geisler, Ph.D., is quoted on the back cover as saying: "Hank
Hanegraaff has carefully documented one of the most popular and dangerous
cultic groups to ever penetrate the contemporary evangelical church. The
church owes a deep debt of gratitude to the leader of the world's largest
countercult organization for unmasking the deceptive and poisonous false
doctrines of the Faith Movement."
"Christianity In Crisis" is not intended to be a sensationalistic work. In
fact, often the text doesn't include the names of the individuals quoted.
Instead, these are found at the back in an extensive note section. This is
where the dedicated reader can appreciate the depth of the author's
research. Mr. Hanegraaff's primary concern is to expose false teaching, not
to attack individuals. Nevertheless, it is vital that readers understand
the sources of these false teachings, because these men and women have a
tremendous number of followers in the Christian community.
Exposed false teachings include: Faith in Faith, Little gods or Little
Frauds, Atonement Atrocities, Wealth and Want, and Sickness and Suffering.
The approach of this book helps the reader remember both the false
teachings and basic Biblical truths. This is done with the use of acronyms.
If you go back to the beginning of this paragraph, you will see that the
false teachings are represented by the acronym F.L.A.W.S. This is shown by
reexamining the titles at the beginning of this paragraph. Within each area
of the book, other acronyms are also used to present more detailed
information.
Included in the book is an extensive bibliographic section identifying the
leading proponents of these teachings. Three appendices are also provided.
The first deals with "Are 'God's Anointed' beyond Criticism?" The second
talks about the importance of apologetics. The final appendix focuses on
the three foundational creeds of Christianity.
The balance of the book is taken up with an extensive note section, a
complete Bibliography and Scriptural and Subject indexes. This book is easy
to read, and can also be used as a reference source. It is both accessible
and detailed.
"Christianity In Crisis" sounds a warning to the Church. This book should
be required reading for every Christian.
Now, for those who didn't skip directly to this paragraph, here is the
answer to the quiz at the beginning of the review.
a. Kenneth Copeland
b. Benny Hinn
c. Frederick K.C. Price
d. Kenneth E. Hagin
Let us study to show ourselves approved. Let us not only be familiar with
the prophetic aspects of scripture, but also let us hold firm to the clear
teaching of God's Word. We hope that these books might be aids to this
process.
Your Friend - The Bookworm
1 Hanegraaff, Hank, CHRISTIANITY IN CRISIS, Harvest House Publishers,
Eugene, OR, 199, p. 11.
*********************************************************
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Hello all,
My name is Raymond, and I am the Sr. Editor here at Prophe-Zine. I am
currently looking for submissions, artists, writers, fiction, reviews,
columnists and other help for Prophe-Zine articles. If you think that you
might be interested, please write me (The Editor) to receive a guideline
for submissions.
For those interested, here is the zine's statement of faith.
Statement of Faith
THE PURPOSE of Prophe-Zine is to carry out the command of the Lord Christ
Jesus, recorded in
Matthew 28:19:
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations"
Prophe-Zine is a Christian publication grounded in the deity of Christ and
the inerrancy of Scripture. The major intent of the editors is first, the
giving out the message of the Gospel, "For what I received I passed on to
you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the
Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day
according to the Scriptures," 1 Cor. 15:3-4.
The Editor of Prophe-Zine holds to a strictly literal and inerrant Bible
interpretation, salvation through Christ alone, a soon pre-tribulation
Rapture of all believers and the establishment of a thousand-year kingdom
on earth. The evangelism of the unbelievers and the exhortation of the
believers take precedence over all other activities of this ministry.
Prophe-Zine may not agree with some of the authors and their beliefs, but
Prophe-Zine believes that we must endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit
(In other words agree to disagree), so Prophe-Zine feels that it must give
equal time to other biblically based doctrines in all fairness.
Eph 4:3 Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
If you have comments or questions please contact me at.
ray673@netcom.com
raymond673@aol.com
gano@eworld.com
In His service,
Ray Gano
Publisher & Editor of Prophe-Zine
