BEHOLD, IT WILL SPEAK

When I was in my late teens in the early 1960s, we used to ponder over this verse – Revelation 13:15 “There was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast MIGHT EVEN SPEAK and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed.”

Of course, back then, we all knew about ventriloquists because they would tour around, and ventriloquy was used quite a bit in Christian ministry. How the image of the Beast would speak was a mystery to us in those days. (A hidden speaker installed inside was the best we could do, else a satanic miracle.) I think we concluded it must be a satanic miracle. Holograms are another consideration in this matter too.

Enter 2024, and we find ourselves coming through the computer age of the late 1970s and the rapid development of computer technology. Now we have AI (Artificial Intelligence). Why, you can purchase a companion who will learn of your wants and align with you, and these bots are becoming available for people. I won’t touch on the sex bots, but artificial intelligence is rapidly gaining sophistication throughout industry and business and entering the general public.

It is becoming so clever that now you can call up for a company enquiry and may not know that occasionally you are talking to a bot and not a real person, and it functions on AI.

So then, how will this beast image speak? I think in the context of the verse, this speaking is going to be extraordinary, so it will go beyond AI, and it is safe to assume none of us will know. But Christians will not be here to fall under the dread of all this.

The remarkable aspect of it all is that God has made us aware of the mechanics of these things in the age of AI, so those skeptics of the past who would mock such an event are silenced. The Lord knows all about it.

AI is being used in devious ways. More and more videos on YouTube are part AI generated so that you have images and text and speaking that never really occurred in factual life. You can see Donald Trump making short speeches he never made. We live in the age of deception like no other, and even the elect can be deceived. So much deception also issues from church pulpits. Be aware!

ELECTIONS AND THE MARXIST LEFT

We have come through the American elections, and even some possible cheating and skullduggery were not able to overturn the result. I followed as closely as I could the progress of the political scene for the past year in the USA. I have watched hundreds of YouTube videos from individuals, news outlets, campaign speeches, and so much more.

What is shocking me is the extent of hatred, bitterness, lies, and scary behavior, especially from the Democrats. Like the Australian Labor Party and the Green Party (communists) in Australia, these people of the left are wicked, and the wickedness is quite frightening.

In 2011, I was on a Sydney to New Zealand cruise, and I was nominated to be at a table of 8 for the evening dining. Well, at that table (for the whole cruise), there were two American couples, and my eyes were opened to American politics. At that time, I had very little idea about it. It turned out that one man was Democrat and the other Republican.

The Democrat was a union organizer and would line me up to coerce me into having nothing to do with the Republican couple, who were nice, friendly, and decent. I saw hardness and something a bit intimidating on the one hand and a calm decency on the other hand. I did not want to get caught up in any of that. I came to enjoy the cruise.

The world is leaning rapidly to the hardness of the left, and it is a terrible thing because it results in godlessness, violence, hatred, revenge, and vindictiveness. Can you remotely imagine what it will be like when the Church is removed and only wickedness prevails? It will be horrifying.

Trump might have won, but don’t forget, half the nation is really wicked. When the Rapture comes, perhaps one-fifth of the USA nation will be taken – maybe more than one-quarter when children are included. It could even be as high as one-third. After that event, evil gets worse and will swallow up the “non-Christian” decent (in the world’s estimation) people left behind.

As for my own nation, Christians number less than 1% I believe; certainly not over 1% by much. We are pagan and godless. There is a terrible heaviness in Australia that can assault the Christian soul. The leader (Prime Minister) is a gross hater of Israel and of Trump and of Christians. The Foreign Minister hates Israel. They voted with the ICC to declare Netanyahu a war criminal to be arrested. This court has never issued arrests for Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists. It is satanic. Satan is entrenched in all European leadership, as in the UN, WEF, Climate headquarters, and so much more.

It is right that we can recognize these organizations for the evil entities they are. Christians should not be naïve but ought to be able to read the signs of the times.

Anti-Semitism in Britain and Australia and, to some extent, in the USA is a vile push from Satan for the destruction of the Jews. It is Haman standing with net and sword in hand. There are many examples I could give of extreme demonic hate in marches and gatherings of Moslem fanatics in Australia and Britain, but the most terrifying aspect of this is that there is no action from the police when these demonic masses march through the streets calling for the killing and gassing of the Jews.

If I was in the street with a sign that said “kill homosexuals,” I would be immediately arrested, and there would be about 8 charges made against me under all sorts of laws such as hate speech and opposition to gender fluidity. They are all there. Immediately! However, when these agents of Satan gather in the streets with hatred against Jews and Christians, nothing happens.

Is it like that, too, in the USA, or is it only in Australia, Europe, or New Zealand?

SANITY TAKES A BACK SEAT

Sanity has gone as men become deeper into godlessness and delusion, such as climate change. Decision-making is distorted. At the Climate conference a week ago in Dubai, certain decisions were made.

Under the statement from the Conference termed “Will richer countries pay for climate change?” the following was determined:

[[As COP28 got underway, it was announced that the “loss and damage” fund could start handing out money.

The fund was agreed at COP27. The idea is that richer countries – historically the main contributors to warming – pay poorer countries already facing the effects of climate change.]]

This is what this whole climate hoax is all about. It is a redistribution of wealth away from the established, “richer” nations that have worked for their positions to the third-world nations wracked by wars and civil wars and dictatorships. It is full 100% Communism. That was a major plank of Karl Marx.

There is no global warming or climate change. Every year is different in all places across the planet. NASA itself, with all its scientists, stated that the earth has warmed 1.1 degrees over the past 130 years. Even that is tenuous because what scientific global weather records were accurately known 130 years ago?

This insane attitude comes about when men are so far away from the Lord that they are led down the “enlightened paths of humanism” with Satan as the guide.

On the other hand, some are deliberately divisive and with evil intent. Insanity prevails when the soul is so black and godless. Let us take Biden as an example here. Recently, Biden gave permission to Ukraine to use powerful, special rockets against Russia; these being rockets from the USA. The insane evil of Great Britain did the same. Russia responded using a hypersonic missile. This is a dangerous escalation, and people speak now about WW3. (Personally, I do not accept that there will be a third world war, but the nations are arming and huffing and puffing, getting ready for the red horse that could be as close as a year if the Rapture happens soon.)

Why did Biden do it? Well, we know he is demented, but it is greater than that. Satan is the agent of death, and I am distressed to say Biden and his administration are in Satan’s hands. Their policies spell that out. There is one more point. Some say he deliberately gave that permission to create chaos and make it a real problem for Donald Trump. That brings me to the next point…

WHY DOES THE USA HOLD ON TO SILLY PRACTICES?

I refer here to this (I think it is stupidity) procedure where a defeated Government at an election can still hold on to power for more than two months before the incoming Government takes control. It is done nowhere else in the world. Once a Government is defeated in an election, the new one should take over the next day. The American people expressed their will, but it is delayed in order that a corrupt regime can create mischief. It makes no sense, but it is hard to convince Americans they are wrong or that there is a better way – unless they are humble Christians.

THE OLD CHESTNUT ABOUT AMERICA BEING IN PROPHECY

Some Christians in the USA have convinced themselves that the USA is important in prophecy and strain the Bible trying to find references. I do not wish to be confrontational against the USA biblical students, but the nation has nothing to do with prophecy. It misleads itself.

Israel is the CENTER of biblical prophecy. The old Roman Empire is the prophetic HEART of the Antichrist leadership. All the fulfillment of prophecy is contained in the Middle East and Europe. The only “prophecy” that includes the USA are matters like 2 Timothy 3, where the last days are described, and in that, the USA is a leader, sad to say. Do I need to be more specific? – drug companies, Hollywood, Silicon Valley, wicked activist movements – climate, abortion, Satanism, greedy multinationals. The USA is also included in the biblical expression “the whole world.”

Revelation 13:14 “He deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling THOSE WHO DWELL ON THE EARTH to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life.”

Revelation 11:9 “Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and NATIONS will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.”

Zechariah 14:2 “For I will gather ALL THE NATIONS against Jerusalem to battle, and the city will be captured, the houses plundered, the women ravished, and half of the city exiled, but the rest of the people will not be cut off from the city.”

Occasionally, I get accused of not liking the USA or Americans, but that is not true. I value the fellowship I have with American Christians, but I am a realist, and sometimes the best realists are those outside your own nation looking in.

INSTILLED COMMUNISM CREEPING ALONG

The Australian Government is very Marxist, godless, and corrupt in dealing with Israel and Christians. They have been striving to bring in a Disinformation Bill that will prohibit Christians from even expressing an opinion against homosexuality and abortion. Churches could be invaded under this Bill. Just for now, it is on hold.

I got a huge shock to read a Government document the other day. In Australia, there is a huge site called “myGov” that takes care of all pensions, health, social services, and, well, almost everything and is controlled by the Federal. People needing services and follow-up sign up to that. I think most of Australia is registered with myGov.

Well, if you are like me, when it comes to sites and organizations you use on the Internet, these sites often have Terms, and you often skip through those or just scroll down and tick the box at the end. Well, on the myGov Government site that controls our lives, I decided to read right through all this stuff, and guess what I found? Here it is, and I quote:

Information we collect using Google Analytics

MyGov uses Google Analytics 360 for the website. You can read about how Google Analytics collects and processes data in its privacy notice on the Google website. On myGov, Google uses cookies and collects de-identified details about the:

• pages you visit
• functions you use
• search terms you enter.

We have set up Google Analytics to operate on myGov without collecting information that identifies you. This means the following information won’t be collected:

• your email address
• username
• full IP address.

I was stunned. Not for one moment do I believe the lies about not identifying you. If that was the case, why even bother to collect YOUR data about YOU in the first place? The fact is the Government is using Google to spy and collect data on its own residents. It would have no context if it was not related to each person and documenting information against them.

This is Communism. Hardly anyone would know this in Australia because it is hidden away in the Terms. It is scandalous.

Where is all this going? Well, we know he who does not worship the Beast and receives the mark will be taken by the satanic, ruthless administration under the Ruler of the earth, the Beast, Antichrist. We rejoice that we will not be here, but we can already see the collection and storage of this data in operation.

I will stop there. God bless you all in these increasingly difficult days.

MycenaPink@gmail.com

Jesus gave us the Great Commission nearly two thousand years ago, and it is as crucial now as it was the day he commanded it.

All authority in heaven and earth has been granted to Christ by God, so He is the unquestioned ruler of the universe. Those who reject his Gospel are mutineers who have chosen their own way while disdaining the one in authority.

Those who disobey Christ’s commands are insubordinate and will receive a ‘dishonorable’ discharge from the Kingdom of Heaven if they do not repent. They will also receive ‘extended confinement’ in hell until they are dispatched to the Lake of Fire.

So, it is a very good idea for every person to follow his instructions.

The Great Commission contains three parts:

1. Make disciples of all nations.
2. Baptize all nations in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
3. Teach the new disciples to obey everything that Christ has commanded.

It is the third part of this directive that will be our focus.

The definition of a command is an authoritative direction or instruction to do something. Even though the person who issues a command expects his subordinate to obey it or suffer severe consequences, everyone who receives a command retains the free will to disobey it.

That is why commands are issued in the first place. Otherwise, people would run wild and act according to their own dictates. Those who obey these commands enjoy order and blessings in their lives; those who disobey are plagued by moral anarchy.

Among the commands that Christ issued are:

1. To believe
2. To repent
3. To refrain from hardening our hearts
4. To remain in the faith
5. To Proclaim repentance for the forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus

To begin, there is no question that the Bible presupposes free will from start to finish.

From the Garden of Eden to the Angels’ blowing of the sixth horn (Revelation 9:20-21) and the refusal on the part of mankind to repent, all our decisions are based on our love and trust in God or our hatred of Him.

And, despite the protestations of the atheists, we all know God exists.

As Paul points out, men suppress the truth in their wickedness, of their own free will, even though the truth about God has been made plain to them. Since the creation of the world, God’s invisible qualities and divine nature have been clearly seen by every human ever created.

Life does not come from lifelessness, and order does not arise out of chaos. These facts leave all men who deny the existence of God, by their own free will, with no excuse when they reach their eternal destination.

We know there is a God, and we know he expects us to obey his instructions.

First, we are commanded to believe in Christ, of our own free will, that he is the sinless Son of God who came to die for our sins. The very ‘work’ of God is to believe in the One He has sent. According to Jesus, that is what “we must do” to do the work that God requires of us (John 6:29).

When we believe in Christ, we do not boast in ourselves but in Christ. No one in his right mind, after believing that Christ died for his sins, runs around telling everyone how great he is.

No sane person says, “Look at me! I am a miserable sinner that God saved by shedding the blood of his Son!” Aren’t I great!?!”

We believe the Gospel of our own free will. Those who call themselves Christians heard the truth, we understood our human condition, and we were delighted about the Good News that we heard and eagerly embraced it.

And God knew who would embrace his faith before he laid the foundation of the universe.

Once we believed, God gave us the gift of faith. It is this faith that saves us from our sins, not our decision to believe the Gospel.

R.C. Sproul once stated that, regarding salvation, there is no interaction between God and man. However, the fact that God issued these commands to us reveals that there is a necessary interaction between God and man for one to achieve salvation.

When God sent his only Son to die for our sins, He set off an ‘interactional’ chain reaction that was necessary for salvation. First we believe, then we receive the gift of faith.

Second, we are commanded to repent of our sins. Once again, we do this of our own free will. Adam and Eve could have repented in the Garden of Eden and the rebels of Revelation Chapter Nine could repent as well if they had the desire to do so.

Once we repent, God must grant us repentance for it to be valid. However, that does not change the fact that there is, in fact, an interaction between God and man regarding repentance and salvation.

If we refuse to repent, God will not grant us repentance. Elementary, my dear Watson (err… R.C.).

Third, we must refrain from hardening our hearts against the Lord.

When Pharoah heard the words of God, he hardened his heart five times before God took over. When God took over, Pharoah’s fate was sealed.

Once again, we see the obvious interaction between God and man regarding salvation.

The writer of Hebrews admonishes us that when we hear the voice of God, to refrain from hardening our hearts against him.

Those Israelites who heard the word of God in the wilderness still chose, of their own free will, to harden their hearts against the Lord.

And God passed judgment on them due to their stubbornness.

Fourth, when we receive the gift of faith, we are required to remain in the faith. The gift of faith is our ‘pearl of great price.’ We sell everything we have to possess it. It is the most valuable thing that we will ever acquire.

This faith must be polished, treasured, and utilized until we pass since there is nothing in this world that is more important.

Every false teacher, from the Pope on down, engages in the same bait-and-switch strategy to draw us away from the faith. They proclaim Jesus, then relegate him to the back of the bus as they move on to ‘more important things.’

Let’s have prayers to Mary and the Saints, call that joker in Rome ‘Holy Father,’ have our best life now, find out purpose, or dispose of God’s moral law, which is integral to the Gospel, and replace it with ‘social justice.’

These false teachers suffocate the gift of faith that we received and were supposed to treasure.

Due to these false gospels, many are led to “abandon the faith.”

The Holy Spirit was clear that some (who were once in the faith) will one day abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. They will, of their own free will, abandon their pearl and pursue the freshly laid, steaming pile of horse manure that the world offers.

When Jesus revealed that He was the true vine that is pruned by God, He stated that he cuts off every branch that is not fruitful. Using the exegetical technique of ‘allowing God’s word to speak for itself,’ Jesus said,

“Remain in me [of your own free will], and I will remain in you [interaction]…If [conditional] a man remains in me [of his own free will] and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

If anyone does not remain in me [of his own free will], he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned [in hell]” (Matthew 15:1-8).

There is no agenda in this exegesis, just basic reading and grammar.

There is no question that when we receive the gift of faith and are baptized, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, and no ‘outside force’ can snatch us from his hands, but these gifts are ‘conditional’ on our remaining in the faith.

If anyone thinks that they cannot abandon the faith once they are sealed, the Holy Spirit, speaking through Paul to Timothy, voices his disagreement.

“The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith…”

Since we are saved by Grace through faith, abandoning God’s most precious gift is a really bad idea.

In fact, it is impossible for those who have once been enlightened (believed the Gospel), who have tasted the heavenly gift (of the Lord’s supper), who have shared in the Holy Spirit (through baptism), who have tasted the goodness of the word of God (the Bible) and the powers of the coming age (Christ’s Millennial Kingdom), if they fall away (abandon the faith), to be brought back to repentance, because they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

If you testify that Christ died for your sins and then later abandon your testimony because you come to like what the world offers better, you become a land that produces thistles and thorns. You will abandon your confession of faith and grow to disdain it.

As Christ said in the quote above from the Book of John, in the end, you will be burned.

To help ensure our secure place, Christ instituted Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which aids us in remaining in the faith.

Peter claimed that we were saved through baptism as it is our plea for a good conscience toward God (I Peter 3:21). We demonstrate a good conscience toward God when we watch our life and our doctrine closely and ‘persevere’ in them. If we do, we will save both ourselves and our hearers (I Timothy 4:16).

Perseverance in the faith is crucial to salvation.

Regarding the Lord’s supper, Jesus stated that those who eat his flesh and drink his blood remain in him, and he in us (John 6:56). He said these words are spirit, and they are life. Jesus implemented this ceremony to help ensure that we persevere in the faith.

There is nothing more important than remembering and honoring Christ’s wonderful sacrifice on the cross for our sins.

Finally, the command that produces disciples for Christ is the one that opens our minds so that we can understand the Scripture. The primary duty of the church is to follow the command to preach:

“The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations.”

The proclamation of the Gospel requires a free will response by its very nature. To claim otherwise is silly.

If the church had been able to keep this one command, the LGBT would have no power, and our youth would not be sexually mutilated for profit. Those who bare false witness against their neighbor would have been humiliated when they called people ‘racist.’

And the pagan cult of ‘climate change’ would never have gotten off the ground.

The number of churches that disobey this command are legion. This is the reason that we find the kingdom of Satan engulfing the world.

The church now has little strength, and the Holy Spirit of God is preparing to withdraw. The mystery of the rapture is soon to be revealed.

When the full number of Gentiles has come in, the Day of the Lord will begin.

In the meantime, we are to keep our heads in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and discharge the duties of our ministries.

And obey the commands of the Lord.

www.gospelist.net