Wow…..huge statement on these times we live in……..it has gotten to the point in my life where nothing surprises me anymore.
Rich Americans activate their pandemic escape plans, jetting abroad to underground bunkers
Interest in New Zealand bunkers has surged.
Read in Bloomberg: https://apple.news/AXlFKKoLKQc6f4vvwEGrlrQ
Shared from Apple News
Posted earlier today:
COVID-19 is a Slow-Motion 9/11
Powerful message, and as Sam Rohrer says, many won’t agree with him. Many do not agree with me, I will never be one of those popular Pastors, as so many do not agree with me, so be it. I stand in the gap for God. Sam makes several excellent points. I happen to agree with him. I have been preaching on this for years. America has become very greedy and lazy. No elected leader even pays attention to our FEDERAL DEFICIT. We are living on monopoly money! Many have made the government their god. Self-responsibility got thrown out years ago. As the late great man of God Chuck Colson said years ago, “The American Church has turned into a high school pep rally.” Preach the Bible, THE WHOLE BIBLE! That old saying I go by is, “I have come to comfort the inflicted and inflict the comfortable.”
The late great man of God D.L. Moody said, “It seems a poor empty life to live for the sake of self.”
America has become a very selfish country over time.
We have more Churches, Christian books, music, movies, Christian Radio and TV stations than ever before, Facebook, YouTube, Zoom, Too much of the Church acts like Hollywood, putting on a performance. I had a Man from Laguna, NM ask me last week, “Why does the Church seem so concerned about their services being like Hollywood, isn’t preaching God’s Word the point of Church.” With all that, America is in the intensive care unit.
Our government is corrupt, Politics is evil.
American Pastors Network President Sam Rohrer: COVID-19 Is a Slow-Motion 9/11, A Wake-Up Alarm
The 10 Things We Need to Know, and Most Won’t Agree
PHILADELPHIA—For decades, America has been seen as a bulwark of security and prosperity—seemingly impenetrable. But, says American Pastors Network (APN) President Sam Rohrer, the COVID–19 plague has exposed the soft underbelly of the nation’s weaknesses.
Rohrer says that most Americans have falsely believed that our security and economy was invincible. And this point has been arrogantly touted by the political elite.
“But even the proud and ignorant have stumbled and grasped for answers during this plague,” Rohrer says. “Our nation’s response to this unexpected and invisible enemy has separated families, divided grandchildren from their grandparents, prevented physical church gatherings, cancelled thousands of preplanned events and ceased regular education. It’s even confined people to their own homes like house arrest. So what needs have been showcased? What should we be learning?”
To not intentionally refocus our lives and our trust will be to pivot to some lesser false god, the god of man or government, or some other lie. So, Rohrer asks, what do we need to understand and what do we need to do?
“Is this a wakeup call to America as a whole? Certainly. But a trumpet alert to God’s people? Absolutely! A slow-motion 9/11. The questions to those who say we know God are: What will we do about this wake-up alarm? In whom will we now trust? How will our priorities and understanding of God’s role in our lives and our nation’s future be reordered?
“Before us,” Rohrer continued, “we have two choices with two different paths and two different results. Choices have consequences, and we’re all making choices in our forced-altered lives. Government leaders are choosing how to spend more money and how far to plunge our indebted nation even more into debt. Our leaders are choosing more government subsidies and programs and greater limitations on our freedoms. Medical professionals are choosing among more impact models, supposed solutions, surveillance and other unheard-of violations of civil liberties.”
How we choose to act in this time—right now, not next year—will determine the future, Rohrer adds. Is God and God’s way our choice or is it the god of government? Will God’s people choose Him and His ways, or will we choose our own way and with the culture re-erect the false gods of entertainment, sports or materialism?
“Through this plague,” Rohrer says, “certain physical needs have been exposed. Making policy and personal adjustments are wise. Yet, our greatest need is spiritual and revolves around which god we will trust and conform our lives. If our sick and divided nation is ever to be restored, our broken and hurting families healed, prosperity renewed, security from our enemies and God’s favor on our land returned, God’s people must choose God and then lead the way.”
Rohrer then outlines 10 needs we must understand and live, after choosing to serve the Lord:
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- Develop a healthy fear of God. (Have no other god before Me—Exodus 20:1-6; Obey God, serve Him and fear Him—Deuteronomy 13:4; Rehearse history and teach of God’s power so your children learn to fear God—Deuteronomy 31:13; It is whole duty of mankind—Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)
- Re-embrace the biblical authority of Scripture. (All Scripture is profitable for life and living—2 Timothy 3:16: Living it establishes a person’s path—Psalm 119:11)
- Know that the ‘Church’ is disobedient, lethargic and asleep. (Christ’s warnings to the seven churches and to Laodicea—Revelation 2-3; Revelation 3:14-22)
- Be aware that 70% of the pulpits in America are occupied by ‘hirelings.’ (Hirelings refuse to warn of spiritual danger and the wolves—John 10:12-13)
- Be bold to identify and call out the false prophets in the wolves among us. (Christ warned of the false prophets and wolves—Matthew 7:15, Matthew 10:16, Matthew 24:24; Jesus warned of mass deception in the last days—Matthew 24:4-5)
- Understand that national blessing or national judgment hinges on the actions of the remnant. (“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”—2 Chronicles 7:14)
- Accept the reality that persecution is coming and is normal for the believer and those still standing for truth. (All who live according to God commands will suffer persecution—2 Timothy 3:12; the enemies of truth will persecute you—Luke 21:12; John 15:20)
- Discover that the preparation for prayer and meeting God’s requirements for prayer is far more important than the act of praying. (God demands a broken spirit and obedience before sacrifice—Psalm 51:16-17; God demands we pray His way: No unconfessed sin—Psalm 66:18)
- Realize that the continuance of freedom is a result of God’s blessing, which hinges on obedience and conformity to God’s commands. (Don’t forget that all blessings came from God and if you forget and become ungrateful, God will replace blessings with bondage—Deuteronomy 8:1-20, 1:19-20; 30:1-20)
- Understand that the choice for president or other elected leaders, while critically important, is secondary to repentance toward God and the choice for God. (Obey, and I’ll make even your enemies to be at peace with you—Proverbs 16:7)
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“I pray that America,” Rohrer concluded, “led by the pulpits, implemented by fathers and mothers, elected leaders and citizens, will do as Joshua did: ‘As for me and my house, we will serve (choose) the LORD!’ (Joshua 24:15)”
Rohrer is the host of “Stand in the Gap TV,” which considers transcending complex and divisive cultural issues, seemingly difficult to navigate, from a biblical worldview perspective while bringing clarity to cultural confusion and making sense of the nonsense around us. A recent program delved into these points about America’s needs during the COVID-19 crisis. View the show here.
Likewise, Rohrer also invites cultural experts to discuss a variety of pressing topics and headlines from a biblical and constitutional perspective to APN’s popular daily radio program, “Stand in the Gap Today,” which airs on over 400 radio stations nationwide; many carry the show live from noon to 1 p.m. ET. Archived programs can be viewed here; find a station here. Rohrer also hosts the daily short radio feature “Stand in the Gap Minute, and “best of” shows from the week are broadcast on “Stand in the Gap Weekend.”
APN hopes thousands will join the ministry for its national prayer movement called “52 Tuesdays,” in which the faithful from around the country will come together to pray for the moral and spiritual renewal of our nation every Tuesday leading up to Election Day 2020. This dedicated season of prayer not only addresses the important 2020 presidential election but also other topics close to Christians’ hearts. Prayer warriors nationwide can add their name to the growing “52 Tuesdays” list here.
View the media page for APN here, which also details information about “Stand in the Gap” radio programming. For more information on APN, visit www.AmericanPastorsNetwork.net, its Facebook page or follow APN’s Twitter feed, @AmericanPastors. For information about forming a state chapter of APN, contact amy@americanpastors.net.
Tribune Content Agency
Does the Bible support Christians living according to worldly customs?Apr 20, 2020 |
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| From the writings of the Rev. Billy GrahamQ: All my life I’ve heard: “When in Rome, do as the Romans.” Does the Bible support Christians living according to worldly customs and bringing that lifestyle into the church? – N.C.
A: Ancient Rome had a false notion that a person’s conscience could be controlled by law, so they made it illegal to be different. All had to bow to Caesar and conform to pagan custom. Nonconformists were threatened with death, and many chose death rather than to conform to Rome and compromise their thinking. The apostle Paul, a Roman citizen, took up his pen and wrote words for all Christians of all times: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2). Times have changed, but human nature hasn’t. The world is still trying to put its stamp of conformity on every follower of Jesus Christ. Every possible pressure is being brought to bear upon Christians to make them conform to the standards of the world. Paul urges Christians to be nonconformists as far as the world system is concerned but be conformed to the image of Christ, to follow in His steps and live righteously. In our desire to make Christ known and to increase the influence of the church, we are prone to think that Christians and the church can be made popular with the unbelieving world. This is a grave mistake. Satan’s most effective tools are conformity and compromise. He wants believers to conform to worldliness in their thinking, language, and behavior, but the world’s system contaminates the mind. Turn to Scripture and think on the things of God. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). ======== (This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.) (c)2020 BILLY GRAHAM DISTRIBUTED BY TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC. |
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FGGAM just received this news release:
God Prepared Us for This Time!
Prayer has Been the History and Legacy of Times Square Church Throughout Its History and the Lord has Revealed Things to Come
NEW YORK—As the COVID-19 pandemic redefines church for millions of Christians around the world, the overwhelming response from believers everywhere has been to seek the Lord in prayer and reach out to neighbors, friends and family to encourage, pray and support.
For Times Square Church in New York City, church was redefined on Jan. 28, 2015, when its Worldwide Prayer Meeting launched online, drawing prayer requests from thousands of people in countries throughout the world via website submission form and text message. The weekly live prayer meetings at this church in the crossroads of the world take place each Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET at tsc.nyc/webcasts/tuesday-7pm, and on the Times Square Church Facebook page and YouTube channel.
This unique virtual prayer gathering has challenged believers everywhere to cry out to God, and the prayer requests and answers to prayer have flooded in. In the past five years, over 340,000 prayers have been received from 207 self-reported countries and dependencies, with the U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia and India being the top submitters.
For Senior Pastor Carter Conlon, the worldwide response to the prayer meeting is no surprise. Pastor Conlon and Times Square Church congregants believe the Worldwide Prayer Meeting is God-ordained. In 2015, shortly after the launch of the prayer meeting online, Pastor Conlon warned Times Square Church that God was preparing them for a time of suffering.
“There’s coming a day when sinners are going to come into this house and others like it in droves looking for the hope that is ours in Christ Jesus, saying tell us the reason for the hope that you still have,” Conlon said. “The hope is in Christ, and the hope has come because we took this time to prepare. We heard the warning of God. We knew that dark days were coming, but by God’s grace, we got oil and put it in our lamps, and we can point to this generation and say, ‘Behold the Bridegroom comes, go out to meet Him!’”
Times Square Church has a long history of prayer.
“Prayer is not only our history, it is our legacy,” explains Conlon.
Founding Pastor David Wilkerson’s heart broke over what he saw walking down 42nd Street at midnight in 1986. At that time, Times Square was populated mainly by prostitutes and pimps, runaways, drug addicts and hustlers, along with live peep shows and X-rated movie houses. Wilkerson, author of the best-selling book “The Cross and the Switchblade,” cried out for God to do something—anything—to help the physically destitute and spiritually dead people he saw.
“God, you’ve got to raise up a testimony in this hellish place,” Wilkerson had said. “The answer was not what I wanted to hear: ‘Well, you know the city. You’ve been here. You do it.’”
He obeyed God and the doors of Times Square Church opened in October of 1989 to standing room only at the landmark Mark Hellinger Theater.
Since its inception, prayer has not only been foundational for Times Square Church, it has been directional.
“Pastor David Wilkerson told me before he died that we were going to face unprecedented darkness in our generation, but we have the power of the one who created the universe resident in us and willing to touch us and give us strength to get through this journey and see many, many more brought in to freedom through Jesus Christ,” Conlon said. “Glorious days are ahead of us. We are going to pray, we are going to fast, we are going to believe God. We are going to see God do wonders in this generation.”
Prayer is leading the charge once again at this landmark church in the heart of the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. On Oct. 6, 2020, Times Square Church will be livestreaming its Worldwide Prayer Meeting from Plymouth, Massachusetts, and inviting people and churches across the country to gather online to rededicate our nation to God and pray for its future from the place where it began 400 years ago.
“In 1620 the early pilgrims prayed,” Conlon said. “They had little strength, no plan and were surrounded by enemies. All they had was a promise from Jesus that they were being given a land where every person could worship God freely and according to conscience. God was faithful to His promise.
“Today, our freedom to serve God according to conscience is once again surrounded by enemies,” he continued. “That’s why we are being led to re-discover our roots and re-claim the promise of God that made America. We will be encouraging people from all over the country to gather in churches and homes to pray with us. I believe that with God, all things are still possible, IF we are willing to humble ourselves and pray.”
In 2018 in an urgent message titled, “It’s Time to Pray, Again,” Conlon urged Times Square Church congregants with this message:
“We have a very short window of mercy before us,” he said. “God is calling the whole Church across the country to pray now. If we do not take advantage of this moment, a fearful darkness awaits us on the other side of this open window.”
It’s time, again, to pray.
Times Square Church is an inter-denominational, multinational congregation, located in the heart of New York City, at 51st Street, between Broadway and Eighth Avenue, founded by Rev. David Wilkerson, author of the best-selling book “The Cross and the Switchblade.” Over 10,000 people, representing more than 100 different nationalities, gather to pray together each week, finding true unity is possible through Jesus Christ.
For more information on Times Square Church and the Worldwide Prayer Meeting, visit tsc.nyc or itstimetopray.org.
