The Death of Journalism

The nation’s news media has had a leftist bias much longer than I’ve been here on planet Earth. For decades, the press would only gently put its thumb on the scale to slightly give its side an advantage in news coverage. Over the past couple years, we have seen a complete meltdown of all objective news standards.

I’ve seen the change at our local Planet Fitness gym. Up on the ceiling, they have a long row of TVs that have CNN and MSNBC spaced out every seventh TV. As I work out, I’ve noticed that two liberal channels are almost always talking about President Trump. There seem to be three phases in the reporting:

The first phase was all the bad things he did in the past. They dug out all of Trump’s bad business deals. Anyone who lost money investing with him was given camera time.

The Second phase was all the harmful things he is currently doing. It doesn’t matter how good the economy is doing right now. The press has found the people who have been left behind by the so-called Trump boom.

The third phase is pure delusion-thinking, where the imagination is the only limit on Trump’s “evil nature.” For example: Joe Scarborough on 9/11 said, “Trump is damaging the dream of America more than any terrorist attack ever could.” He has helped lower black unemployment to record low levels, and still he is regularly described as the most racist president to ever hold office.

It is amazing at how resourceful the liberal media has become in making every event into a test of Trump skills as President. In the run up to Hurricane Florence’s landfall, the press focused on Trump’s ability to manage the coming disaster. The hurricane was still 700 miles out at sea, and the press was only interested in setting things up so that any loss of life would mean Trump had failed in his duty.

The greatest indication that true journalism is dead in America is the willingness to sacrifice truth in order to create a new narrative. When a news story is found to be in error, it has long been vitally important to publish a correction.

CNN was recently caught in a lie when it reported that lawyer Lanny Davis had told them that Michael Cohen, Trump’s longtime personal lawyer, claimed he was willing to tell special counsel Robert Mueller that then-candidate Trump knew in advance about the June 2016 meeting in Trump Tower. When Lanny Davis admitted this was not true, CNN refused to back down, saying, “CNN stands by its story.” Going forward, CNN will make up their own version of the news and then cherry pick the facts to establish it.

The credibility of NBC has been called into question over its handling of Ronan Farrow’s Harvey Weinstein story. NBC had claimed that, when Farrow came to them with the story, he didn’t have anyone willing to go on record with the allegations. Farrow eventually took the story to The New Yorker and published it there. He won a Pulitzer Prize for his work. We now learn from NBC producers that Farrow had Rose McGowan as an eager witness. NBC killed the story and lied about it, most likely because it feared Weinstein may have dirt on brass at NBC.

In case there was any doubt about the meltdown of journalism, is the left bringing Dan Rather back from exile? Rather comes on TV and says, “The president of the United States is not the descendant of some Sun god” and “He is basically saying he is above the law.” In a series of online posts, Mr. Rather tells people “how to protect yourself from fake news,” which of course all comes from conservative sites.

Rather was one of television’s most prominent journalists, putting in nearly 24 years at CBS. But in the eyes of some viewers, he is remembered for his discredited story in 2004 that claimed, using clearly folly documents, that President George W. Bush made efforts to avoid service in Vietnam. After being fired from his anchor job, he left CBS the next year. What has allowed Dan Rather to crawl back into the news limelight is that the field of journalism has declined to the level he reached in 2004.

The complete madness of the liberal media is a strong indication of how close we are to the rapture event. Since they will be doing Satan’s bidding during the tribulation hour, their total readiness to serve in the ultimate delusion means that time is short.

“And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness” (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12).

–Todd

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Dissecting Christ’s Declaration on Noah’s Day

No matter how intensively I try to look in other directions these days for issues and events of possible prophetic portent, inner prompting brings me back to Matthew 24: 32-42.

Jesus’ words resound more powerfully in spiritually attuned ears than any other to be found in God’s Holy Scripture. Thus, things to be considered in the Lord’s Olivet declaration must have more relevance for these days in which we live than many seminaries will acknowledge.

Most of these bastions of higher learning put forth that the prophecies in Matthew 24 were given almost exclusively for the Jews of Christ’s physical time on earth. I completely dismiss that notion. I believe issues and events that unfold minute by minute around this generation continue to bring to light stage-setting for fulfillment given by the Lord in this profoundly important section of His prophetic teaching.

In my estimation–as those who read these commentaries know–we have come to the specific point on God’s prophetic timeline that Jesus foretold. We are, I believe, in the time He described: “As it was in the days of Noah…and of Lot.”

 

My own contemplation of things going on today and prophetic Scripture likely relevant to the very end of the Church Age (Age of Grace) has me carefully reconsidering Jesus words in that Olivet Discourse prophecy–His words about the “days of Noah” in particular. Let us look at them together yet again. We will look at the entire prophecy as Jesus gave it to us, recorded in Matthew 24:

^24:32Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: ^24:33So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near,even at the doors. ^24:34Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. ^24:35Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Seminary thinking on this, for the most part, has it that Jesus was speaking exclusively of the sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in referring to “this generation.” They dismiss that He was prophesying about the generation of people of the earth in general. The seminaries have it that the Lord was saying the Jewish race would not pass away. “Israel will not be eliminated by any foe” is one of the most common seminary takes on this prophecy.

I believe Jesus was prophesying that when Israel begins to become a nation that observably affects the rest of the world at the end of the age,  the consummation of human history will be profoundly underway. The Tribulation, Armageddon, and His Second Advent (Revelation 19:11) would then rapidly be fulfilled.

The Lord then stamped His omnipotent signature on the guarantee of its coming to pass:

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

What follows these words by the Lord of all creation sends chill bumps–I should say “thrill bumps”—through yours truly.

Jesus next gives us a precise look at what precedes this total consummation of human history that includes Antichrist, the worst time in history (the Tribulation),  His Second Advent at Armageddon, and the entire Millennial era! He next says the following:

^24:36But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.       

The Lord is, I believe, here referring back to His Words: ^24:33″So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.”

He then goes in-depth in explaining what is meant by His Words “it is near, even at the doors. ^24:37But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

Jesus is talking about His coming back to planet earth. He has already said it will be at a time that only the Father knows. This precludes His Second Advent, which will be a time that can be precisely calculated, according to Scripture.

Again, Jesus indicated that no one can know the precise time of His coming. But He then tells us exactly what the time of this arrival will look like from a cultural/societal and particularly an economic standpoint–this right up until judgment falls:

^24:38For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, ^24:39And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

To look more deeply into the circumstances prevalent at this prophesied time, we go to the Words of Jesus as recorded in the Gospel of Luke:

^17:26And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. ^17:27They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. ^17:28Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; ^17:29But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. ^17:30Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.    

Next we go back again to Jesus’ words recorded in Matthew chapter 24 to see exactly what will happen when He again “reveals” Himself in a catastrophic manner:

^24:40Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. ^24:41Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

And we look again at the Gospel of Luke to get further enlightenment from the Lord:

^17:34I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. ^17:35Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. ^17:36Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

Those who dispute that this is referring to the Rapture say that those taken here are taken for judgment and wrath, not to a place of safety. But Greek words here indicate the opposite. Those taken are taken to safety and those left behind are left for judgment. I haven’t the space here to do a Greek word study to prove my contention. I will simply give the word used here by Jesus in defining the matter of those taken.

Paralambanó, if I have spelled it correctly, is the same word Jesus uses in John 14:2-3–“I will come and receive you.” 

“Receive” and “taken” use the same word–paralambanó: “I will receive you unto myself, for where I am, there ye may be also.” 

This is the Rapture!

We are in a “think-not” time, that is for certain. The Body of Christ–the Church–for the most part, has its collective attention turned away from God’ will. Worldly pursuits are the order of the day, both within the church edifices and within the lives of too many believers. All other issues and events scream through our hourly news feeds that  stage setting for fulfillment of Bible prophecy is in every direction one looks.

Israel is front and center–the fig tree that has been putting forth it leaves since May 14, 1948.

Financial experts say, and the facts show, that America is entering a time of economic boom, not bust. (Even though the fiscal laws of gravity are being defied by all rational ways of analyzing the matters involved.) The world follows the almighty dollar, so, many believe, a world economic boom may soon follow. Jesus predicted just such a time in His “days of Noah and of Lot” prophecy.

The Lord made the analogy of His next intervention into man’s history as being like the break-in of a thief in the night.  He wrapped up this account of this first phase of His Second Coming with this sobering exhortation for Christians who will be living when the Rapture occurs:

^{Matthew 24:42}Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. ^24:43But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. ^24:44Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

–Terry

South African Land Grab: The Last Stand for Rational Thought

The South Africa economy has slipped into recession for the first time since 2009. The leadership of that nation has been so preoccupied with its plan to steal land from white farms, it should be no wonder why the nation’s economy has slumped in negative growth.

President Cyril Ramaphosa thinks that the land reform plan will revive South Africa. “We can make this country the garden of Eden,” he said during a visit to Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini at his Osuthu palace in Nongoma, where he said that South Africa could turn into the ultimate paradise with the implementation of the policy of expropriation of land without compensation.

Each of these white farms already produces enough food to feed 1,000 people. Ramaphosa is delusional if he thinks he can improve on this production rate. South Africa has already tried several land reform programs that all ended in failure. When you give land to people who mostly rely on government handouts, the concept of self-reliance is unknown to them.

British Prime Minister Theresa May recently made a trip to South Africa. She was there to announce plans to increase the U.K.’s investment in Africa after Brexit. Seemingly keen to stay on the good side of her new friend Ramaphosa, May said she supported land reform in South Africa.

“The UK has, for some time now, supported land reform that is legal, transparent and follows a democratic process,” May said. “I welcome the comments he has already made about approaching land reform, bearing in mind the economic and social consequences…and that land reform will be no smash and grab.”

The statement made by May is a textbook example of how to appease a tyrant. Ramaphosa is in the process of stealing the land right now. He should have been confronted about the negative consequences of his action.

The US State Department had an even worse response to the South Africa land grab. Fox reporters that asked this department a month ago about this problem were told that South Africa was a vibrant democracy and that reforming the distribution and ownership of land will be good for the nation.

It took a tweet from President Trump to move the State Department back to a more appropriate approach. “I have asked Secretary of State @SecPompeo to closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and large scale killing of farmers,” Trump said on Twitter.

After Trump’s remarks, the State Department issued a rare warning to South Africa. U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said, “The expropriation of land without compensation… would risk sending South Africa down the wrong path. We continue to encourage a peaceful and transparent public debate about what we consider to be a very important issue.”

Every major trade organization that South Africa is a member of has a requirement for the protection of property rights. If it moves forward to steal land from white farms, it should force every member of the UN to place an embargo on all South African productions.

I cannot think of a better example of insanity than this current situation. You have a nation that endured protests for 30 years by the world community over its racist apartheid police state. The whites finally handed over power to the blacks, and everyone cheered the dawn of racial tranquility in South Africa. Years later, we find the nation led by a black prime minister who is singing about killing whites; and Trump is called a racist for pointing out reality.

South Africa is traveling the same path as Zimbabwe, which plunged into famine after a government-sanctioned purge of white farmers in the 2000s. The change from 2004 to the present in Zimbabwe has been stunning. At the turn of the century, there were 600 tea companies in Zimbabwe. Today, there is only three. The unemployment rate went from 40% to a peak of 90%. The Zimbabwe dollar lost 100% of all its value, forcing the nation to use other nations’ currency.

Zimbabwe’s political and financial landscape has seemingly changed for the better after the resignation of President Robert Mugabe in November 2017. It will take a long time for Zimbabwe to earn back the trust of global investors.

I think President Ramaphosa is going to proceed with his plan regardless of the cost. The world has become so evil that rational thought is no longer our guide. To now predict the course of world events, you only need to select the most immoral possibility.

To avoid a bloody civil war, South Africa should apply to the IMF for the money needed to buy out the white farms. They could move to a more friendly nation. Within five years, South Africa would default on the loan, and the nation would come begging to the global community for help. Since the West is creating its own financial Armageddon with debt, we may not be in any shape to come to South Africa’s rescue.

In the end, South Africa will become another example of why socialism doesn’t work. The lesson will likely be meaningless to this generation. It has become so demonically blind to reality, people can witness a disastrous blunder and then fall right into the same trap.

“As I have observed, those who plow evil and those who sow trouble reap it” (Job 4:8 NIV).

–Todd

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More Prophetic Stage-setting

Actors for carrying out one of the most famous military actions of prophecy yet future are beating the war drums. At this point they are only the drums of economic warfare, but the beat sounds familiar to the student of Bible prophecy. Like so much of prophetic stage-setting going on at present, the Trump administration is at the heart of this particular end-times development.

President Donald J. Trump a couple of weeks ago announced a steep tariff on Turkish steel and aluminum. This was done, in part, because Turkey has kept an American pastor incarcerated under what the president considers false charges and refuses to release him. Turkey’s lira has fallen significantly as a result, and relations have degenerated. Some within NATO, of which Turkey is a member, have also gotten crossways with Trump on the matter.

At the same time, Russia is having economic problems, with its ruble falling to two-year lows. The trouble is caused in part because the U.S. imposed severe sanctions due to a poisoning incident in Salisbury, UK, for which the Russians were deemed responsible.

So, two nations that are thought to be key players in the Gog-Magog attack in the Ezekiel 38-39 prophecy are reeling economically. Like so much going on at present, one who truly observes from the biblical prophecy perspective can see the orchestrating hand of God directing the actors in preparation for things to come.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, angered by the American president’s actions, called the United States “wild wolves” for imposing the sanctions. He vowed that Ankara would pursue trade with the Russians that doesn’t involve the American dollar. This is a relationship that has been in process of coming ever closer together over recent months and years. It is, most who observe from the biblical prophecy perspective believe, a coming together that is inevitable. Russia and Turkey, financially strapped to prop up their dictatorships, will one day soon seek “spoil” as Ezekiel the prophet, under divine inspiration, put it.

Turkey is in the geographical area believed to have constituted what is termed Togarmah by Ezekiel the prophet. We see the prophetic relevance in the following passage:

And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. (Ezekiel 38:3-6)

While the United States of America isn’t mentioned by name anywhere in Scripture, we see almost on a daily basis, in my estimation, that America is influencing the shaping of things to come, prophetically speaking. In this case, of course, the American president–no stranger to controversy–is instrumental in pushing Turkey into the arms of Mr. Putin’s Russia. It is an astounding thing to watch, if one keeps in mind at all times that God is directing the end-times play.

The American dollar, as example of the U.S. being used to shape the prophetic picture, is the most powerful influence on earth, economically speaking. All the while, the dollar is supposed to have collapsed–to have died, bringing the economies of the world down with it. I, as most who read these commentaries know, believe that the dollar and all other things in the global economic scheme of things are being supernaturally propped up in order to prevent world financial collapse. That will happen, I’m convinced, when the Rapture of the Church takes place.

Russia and Turkey, along with all of the other players in this end times drama, are being channeled into precise positions for prophetic fulfillment. This doesn’t mean that free will has been done away with by the Grand Director of things. It’s just that the Lord knows the end from the beginning.

Turkey–Togarmah–is being channeled into the camp of Rosh–Russia–as many who observe Bible prophecy believe. The stage continues to be set.

–Terry