Those who watch for signals of Christ’s return are familiar with Paul the apostle’s warning about a massive “falling away” (apostasia) before Antichrist is revealed:

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition” (2 Thessalonians 2:3).

The Greek word apostasia is most often thought to be a falling-away or departure from the faith. However, some authorities in the study of Bible prophecy—for example, Dr. Thomas Ice, head of the PreTrib Study Group—believe the word also can mean a spatial or physical departure—as when the Church leaves earth in the Rapture.

I agree that the word not only can represent both a departure from faith, but also a departure of believers when Christ calls the Church into the clouds of Glory.

In this case, I would like to look at the 2 Thessalonians 2:3 “falling away” (apostasia) in the sense of a falling away from the Christian faith—particularly in America.

I believe a massive movement of non-Christian religious fervor is proof positive of just how late we are in this Age of Grace (Church Age) dispensation. There is little doubt that some denominations within Christendom have departed from the faith. All we have to do is to look at the area of the world from which America came (was birthed) to understand that apostasia or apostasy set in worldwide long ago.

England’s great church edifices in London and other cities are but tourist attractions. The church where John Wesley preached those great sermons and others stand only as tourist traps, their magnificent pulpits and stained-glass surroundings silent witness to the empty, richly polished mahogany pews where hundreds and thousands of believers once worshipped.

In America, some mainline denominations have experienced rifts that created schisms that have diluted or completely severed adherence to true doctrines found in God’s Word. Some have adopted social issues as part of this split from doctrinal truth. For example, some denominations now embrace homosexuality and even abortion as their invitation to all who seek validation in their sinful lifestyles.

While all this is true—Christendom’s defection from the faith in those instances—we must address another departure that is blatantly taking place in our nation. It is growing at an exponential rate and is part of a worldwide satanic assault that is worldwide.

I refer to the embrace of Islam that is literally taking over major cities, and even beginning to grow, seemingly unstoppably in former Christian faith-based places like those found in Texas. The Muslim culture is now in every direction one looks. The following links to these stories in Raptureready.com news tell the story of the growing turn from Christianity and turn toward Islam.

These stories all were posted in one news day, Wednesday, July 1, 2026.

*Conquered Texas: Muslims Turn Houston Streets Into Islamic Battlegrounds In Annual Takeover
Nothing says Texas like Muslims beating themselves in the streets outside of a mosque. Why stay inside the mosque and beat yourselves privately when you can take the spectacle to American public streets in a deliberate show of force? That is exactly what Shia Muslims are doing in Houston, Texas, during the annual Muharram Juloos.

*Dearborn Has Been Conquered By An Islamic Army – Without Firing a Single Shot
For the 13th year, March for Justice flooded Dearborn streets (Tlaib’s district) to honor Imam Hussain. No American flag. Instead, Shi’ite flags flew as a blatant show of power and foreign allegiance in the heart of America. Also the police force is being Islamized.

*Detroit Archbishop Surrenders to Islam: Celebrates New Mega-Mosque While His Own Churches Are Shuttered
“There is no place where I feel more respect, fraternity, and kindness.” That is what Archbishop Weisenburger declared at the June 2026 opening of the $16–20 million Imam Al-Hasanain Mosque in Dearborn Heights. He stood with Rep. Tlaib and Shia Muslim leaders and called the mosque a “sacred place” with “profound divine presence.

*Another City Falls: Downtown Chicago Seized for Islam
While our leaders obsess over Europe’s slow death, Chicago is being captured. On June 25, thousands of Shia Muslims, for their annual Ashura procession, seized streets in the heart of the city: burqas, black flags, and men beating their chests in mourning for their prophet – a public show of force and total commitment to their ideology.

Some will say that this isn’t true apostasy in the vein foretold by the Apostle Paul. But because some founding fathers, such as John Adams, once declared the new nation of America to be a Christian nation –that is, founded on Judeo-Christian principles (on Biblical Principles)- America is clearly in process of departing from God’s Divine Direction intended for our nation.

Upon our 250^th Birthday, America’s undeniable movement in the direction away from Heaven’s Governance and a turn toward that issued by Islam’s god is most telling as to where we stand on God’s Prophetic Timeline, I think.

The Antichrist must at this very moment be standing in the shadows of the immediate future, awaiting his time to take advantage of mankind’s defection from God’s Governance.

This is sad, tragic, and all the expressions of catastrophic verbiage one can muster. The world is on the precipice of the Tribulation –that 7 years of hell on Earth foretold in the Book of Revelation.

But those who are truly Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are Destined for a Glorious future beyond any superlative one could speak.

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

The True Church, all born-again believers are about to experience a magnificent Departure! Jesus Christ is, we can sense in the deepest part of our born-again Spirits, about to make the Shout that snatches all believers to Himself in a millisecond of time –in the twinkling of an eye!

Once again, here is how to go to the Lord when he says: “Come up here!” (as He Called John the Revelator –Revelation 4:1).

“That if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and will believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10: 9-10).

Wtjames1@swbell.net

 

 

 

 

Author’s note: This article was originally posted May 20, 2013. I believe the admonition issued here—to “watch” and discern with the armor described in Ephesians 6:12—is all-important because we face today ever-increasing deception by our chief enemy.

Demonic Divide

Dark, spiritual forces in high places are at work. There is no groundbreaking revelation in that statement regarding life in this nation and the world today. However, the true nature of the demonic delusion being foisted upon us is something even the most biblically mature will continue to miss if spiritual antennae aren’t properly attuned.

Additionally, it’s time like no other before to put on the “whole armor,” as outlined by the apostle Paul in Ephesians 6:12–18. I perceive a troubling schism developing amongst the brethren. I refer to those who watch—like the Lord commanded (Mark 13: 37)—end-times developments in what many believe are the closing hours of the Church Age.

Reports increasingly come at us of behind-the-scenes activities that appear to be, to say the least, bizarre. I’m talking about things the equivalent of claims/reports of the US government actually planning and carrying out the assassination of John F. Kennedy—and of George W. Bush’s administration being behind the planning and attack on the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001.

I’m certain you’ve read some of the many mind-boggling reports—all written/presented as if they’re unassailable truth. These accounts spring from fly-on-the-wall sources that give the impression that they personally witness the making of plans to imprison believers or to implant us all with computer chips while we sleep, or…whatever the conspiratorial imagination can conjure.

I will already have angered those who send such email with that word-portrait, no doubt. But before my thoughts on your side of the issue raise your blood pressure with words of anger, “I’ll never send him another article,” please hear me out. There is the other side of the developing schism. It, too, is harmful to the task of being a watcher on the wall.

I’m talking about the mindset that writes off as complete lunacy every report issued by the likes of Alex Jones crossing their computer screens. To fold up the antennae of discernment and simply lump all things that don’t slip smoothly through one’s anti-conspiratorial filter, just might, in my view, constitute a deadly delusion in the making.

The rift I sense developing between those who “watch” during these fleeting days of the age is inflicted by the father of lies himself. It’s all part of the great spiritual wrestling match Paul warns about in Ephesians 6:12. The devil likes to pit one side against the other, and it’s easy for him to do if spiritual armor isn’t the battle gear of choice.

One side of the divide most often sees only collusion of governmental diabolists at every level, thus is understandably accused by the secular world and fellow Christian watchers alike of being “conspiracy kooks.” Those on the other side of the divide too often, because of fear of guilt by association, run away from any talk of collusion of the human conspiratorial kind, sometimes failing to recognize the ways Satan directs his human minions to plot his end-times mischief.

The apostle Paul must have, with his words of Ephesians 6:12–18, been given his inspired thought particularly to give to this generation so near the return of Jesus Christ. Each Christian should daily put on the “whole armor of God.” This, obviously, hasn’t happened, and it likely won’t.

The vast numbers within the Body of Christ are turned inward, or in directions other than watching and yearning for the Lord’s return to put an end to this evil world-system. If we’re honest, we must say that the Body of Christ as a whole today isn’t even pursuing the Great Commission Jesus left to us: to carry the gospel to the whole world and to do what He taught and instructed.

We must not seek out only the strange, secretive, evil doings in the dark underworld of governmental collusion so as to make the findings shocking or exciting. Neither should we think that such collusion doesn’t exist at all and point to all reports as lunacy. Let’s not wrestle violently, angrily against each other, but combine, with reasoned purpose, against our true foe. Here is how to dress for the battle that will surely grow more intensive by the hour as the Rapture of the church approaches:

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Ephesians 6:10-18).

 Wtjames1@swbell.net