The Christian Life

“Europe: Closer to the Antichrist”

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This teaching on the Antichrist is from Amir Tsafarti. I have written an simple outline. I think it is very interesting. I hope you will watch or listen to it today.

Amir Tsafarti delivered this message at the “What in the World is Going On?” Conference in Abbotsford, BC, Canada on October 28, 2017. You can learn more about his ministry at BeholdIsrael.org. His video teachings are all available on YouTube: CLICK.

OUTLINE

0:00     Introduction.

This is a continuations of  a message he presented last year. CLICK TO LISTEN to Part 1

0:33     Three Points for Today’s Teaching     

  1. Where Did We Stop Last Year
  2. What Has Happened in Europe Since?
  3. What Are We to Expect in the Very Near Future?

1:30     Europe’s Ruling Families

The object is to form a one world government, a key event in Biblical Prophecy.

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A few families based in Western Europe and North America, have remained in control for long periods of time.

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6:00       One American Warned  Us

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7:00       America: Globalism’s Leader

11:00     The Accident of 2016

19:15      How to Create a World Government?

  1. Create a crisis
  2. Divide the people
  3. Sow distrust and insecurity

32:15      The Roman Empire: Historically and Revived

51:00      Who is the Antichrist?

103:00     The World is Ready for the Antichrist

Race to the Finish

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Have we made God into an image that suits us? Have we have brought Him down to our level, and made Him someone we can understand? Someone whose thoughts and ways are like our thoughts and ways?

I don’t think we aren’t seeking God, but I think we’re impatient with Him. Instead of being willing to wait for His answer or for His will to manifest, we move forward based only on our assumption that our happiness, good intentions, and/or success matter. Without waiting on Him, we step out in what feels like faith, but is more like wishful thinking. Our ways have become what we call His ways. Whatever seems right to us. We’ve become the judge, which means we have placed our seat on His throne.

Consequently, we fall into compromise. We embrace false doctrine and reject truth outright. We have to, because our lives no longer line-up with His Word. Therefore, we must reinterpret His Word. It’s a dance. We juggle the truth and play games with it. As long as we believe Jesus is Savior, we’re all set. We have given ourselves permission to be as carnal a Christian as we want. Of course, we don’t say that out loud, but our lives are the proof. How we live does not reflect a respect for God, or a fear of the consequences of disobedience.

You see, the god we have created not only receives us as we are, but never require we change. We’ve devised a religion that requires no faith, no consecration, and no death. We haven’t forgotten about righteousness, but we’ve redefined it.

“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” (Romans 13:14)

The God of the Old Testament has not changed, and He never will. He required great things of those Saints of old, yet we expect Him to be satisfied with our measly “sacrifices” today. We give Him our “extra” time. We yawn and watch the clock. We decide how much we serve according to what we’re already doing, not according to how much there is to be done. We give more time to entertainment, than we do to knowing Him. There is more Eastern idolatry on Christian’s Facebook pages, than the Word of God. What’s that about, folks? We feast on witchcraft, violence, perversion, and anti-Christ indoctrination under the the label of entertainment. We laugh at things that should make us jump up and run out of the room. Why do we want to be a part of glorifying that which nailed our Savior to the Cross?

“Who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.”
(1 Peter 2:24)

Friends, the days are getting short. Christ is coming soon. That is not an inevitability that we just wait to arrive. I hear some say, “Why think about it? Why preach about it? It’s going to happen anyway.” If that is how we think, we are missing the point. Paul described this Christian life as a race to finish (2 Timothy 4:7). What athlete enters a race unprepared to finish? He doesn’t amble around aimlessly, straying off course and unconcerned about whether or not he reaches the end. He knows that finishing isn’t inevitable, but a byproduct of running the course to its end. Well, Eternity is a deadline we are supposed to prepare for, and daily be working towards achieving. We know we’ll be with Jesus, but are we running the course He set before us? That’s a willful choice we have to make everyday. We can’t run just any race and say it counts.

So, what’s a sincere Believer to do? What we should be doing every day: repenting and asking for the Holy Spirit to help us; reading God’s Word and praying. Simple. Simple obedience. We must stay the course He set before us, and pursue righteousness as we have been called to do—picking ourselves up as many times as needed along the way, staying in fellowship with the Body of Christ, and equipping ourselves daily. An end is coming, sooner than later. Let’s meet at the Finish Line.

God bless you today.
❤

Sunday Worship

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We recorded this in 2002. It is a demo we had to make for technical and copyright purposes. The quality on this particular recording is pretty good, but they aren’t all.

All together, there are 28 songs. The songs are registered with CCLI, however, we offer them to the Body of Christ ourselves—for the sake of congregations that cannot afford a CCLI license or SongSelect membership. So, if you hear a song you would like to share with your church, let us know. We can email you the lead sheet, guitar tabs, lyric sheet, and/or overhead master*. No charge. (That’s why we became a publishing company.) So long as the song or the performance of the song is never sold (even as part of a fundraiser), anyone may use it freely to the glory of God.

We used to have all of this on a website, but the web host suddenly called it quits. We are slowly working to build a new website, but in the meanwhile we will share them via social media. Feel free to share them, too.

Doug has been writing a little bit about the genesis of each song, and this is what he wrote about “You Chose Me.”

“Of all the songs the Lord has blessed me with, this one is the most powerful and complete for me. From the music to the lyrics, the song was penned by the Lord. It began with an email from Caroline, who shared a wonderful truth that the Lord had revealed to her. The truth was that despite everything in our daily life, regardless of success or failure, Jesus’ love for us never stops and He chooses us with the same deep love and compassion He had for us when He went to Calvary. When I read her email, the idea that He chooses me blossomed immediately into this song. In just over an hour it was essentially finished. I pray that it would minister to you the repentance and peace that I believe the Lord intended.”

 I will add that I knew what I was sending him was going to become a song. It’s the only time the Holy Spirit has used me as a “collaborator” in his songwriting. 

“You Chose Me”
Words by Doug Gregan
Music by Doug Gregan
Vocals and Keyboard, Doug Gregan

Christ the Lord is risen today!

 

*If you don’t have printing capabilities, we will mail them to you.

Trust Him Now

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I missed sharing this yesterday, as my TBT post, so I’m going to share it today—and, that’s kind of appropriate, because it was first published one year ago today.

Click to Read: Trust Him Now
https://thesaxophoneplayerswife.com/2018/04/19/trust-him-now

God bless you today.
❤

Bible Prophecy Update from J.D. Farag: 4/14/19

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JD is a pastor in Hawaii. He has been presenting weekly, Bible prophecy updates to his congregation for approximately 15 years. I have been following his ministry for about two years.

I thought the prophecy update this week was noteworthy. I retain information better when I write notes, so I am sharing my notes and the point in the video he mentions what I have written. This way, you can go to the points that interest you most, in case you don’t have time to hear the whole presentation now.

https://youtu.be/QrlmCUABXr4

Simple Outline

00:08 | Two Significant Developments

03:10 | On the Cusp

07:00 | Trump’s Peace Plan

13:45 | Syria, Sudan, and Libya

16:15 | Important Questions

17:00 | God Wants Us to Know

18:00 | Why Does Prophecy Matter?

27:30 | Are You Going Through a Difficulty?

30:50 | ABCs of Salvation

Just a suggestion: Pastor Farag speaks slowly. You can easily increase the playback speed a notch, and not compromise the audio quality.

My Applesauce Testimony

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If you follow Christ, if you know Him as Lord and Savior, you have a testimony to tell. However, Satan knows that our testimony will give God glory, and he wants all the glory for himself. He doesn’t want to hear the name of Jesus praised. 

Yet, now more than ever the world needs to hear the name of the Lord lifted high, and sharing a testimony of what God has done for us is a great way to do that. Not only is the Lord exalted, but others get to hear what God has done. This is how we encourage and build each other up, and how we tell those who are still seeking that Jesus is the answer!

Below, I have highlighted three ways Satan is stealing God’s glory by silencing our testimony. 

1. Satan Steals Our Salvation Story 
It’s incredible to believe, but Satan is very successful at stealing our salvation testimony. Now, let me be clear. I’m not saying he is stealing our salvation. He doesn’t have the power to do that. He is just stealing the story of our salvation, but it’s that story that we are supposed to tell!

Think about it: when is the last time you told someone how you came to accept Christ as Lord and Savior? We’ve probably told others how we met our spouse more than how we met Jesus. And, we’ve probably told it more to other Believers, than those who are actually seeking a way of escape.

“And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” (Luke 8:39, ESV)

Let’s challenge ourselves. Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to give us an opportunity to tell our salvation story. Let’s ask Him to bring people across our path who need to hear what Jesus did for us. May the Holy Spirit gives us eyes to recognize them, when they come our way.

2. Satan Shames Us Into Silence
No one knows better than we do how many times we have fallen short of that high calling on our lives. Even after many years of walking with the Lord, we might still be struggling to walk in obedience, and this can lead us to feelings of shame. However, even repeated failure doesn’t mean we don’t have a testimony. 

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own.” (Philippians 3:12, ESV) 

We may not have a testimony of what we have done for Christ, but we do have a testimony of what Christ has done for us. Don’t let Satan silence your testimony with shame. Your failure and immaturity do not take away from Who Christ is, and what He has done for you.

3. Sometimes, Satan Lets Pride Do the Job
Pride is a very effective tool for stifling our testimony. It creeps up on us, and we are suddenly struck silent. For example, my applesauce testimony. Have I ever shared my applesauce testimony with you? No, I haven’t. Why? Pride!

My grandchildren both have a lot of food allergies. That means they have a limited diet, and sometimes are very leery about trying new foods. This is especially true for Lucy. She is very picky, but she’s come by her pickiness is very legitimate ways—terrible allergic reactions. However, she likes my applesauce. It’s a staple in her diet.

Well, several months ago I realized that the food pantry at the church that hosts our weekly prayer meeting always has boxes of apples to give away. They are mostly spoiled apples, but spoiled apples make the best applesauce. And, apples from the pantry are free. For someone on a tight, missionary’s budget, free is amazing.

So, just about every week  I gather a big bag of bruised apples at the food pantry. I always thank God for those beautiful fruits, but I have never testified about them. Why? Well, they’re from a food pantry, silly. And, somewhere inside me Pride tells me I shouldn’t let anyone know I use a food pantry.

And, just like that, a testimony is suppressed. Instead of sharing how God has blessed me, I let Pride rob God of His glory. Has that ever happened to you? Has God given you victory over temptation, but you didn’t testify, because you didn’t want people to know you had a struggle? Did God restore your marriage, but you don’t tell that story out of fear people will know it was ever in trouble? Sometimes, Pride is disguised as privacy. Don’t be fooled. No, we don’t air our dirty laundry, and we should be discreet—especially in public—but if God has answered prayer or added to our salvation story in some way, we need to share it. God’s goodness is meant to be told.

Folks, I hope you’ll be challenged to testify more. I need to hear your testimonies, you need to share them, and Jesus needs to be lifted higher! 

“I  cannot count the times when you have faithfully rescued me from danger. I will tell everyone how good you are, and of your constant, daily care.  I walk in the strength of the Lord God. I tell everyone that you alone are just and good.  O God, you have helped me from my earliest childhood—and I have constantly testified to others of the wonderful things you do.  And now that I am old and gray, don’t forsake me. Give me time to tell this new generation (and their children too) about all your mighty miracles.” (Psalm 17:15-18, TLB)

Judging Adam

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Have you ever wondered how Adam could have risked all the pleasures of Eden—not to mention his intimacy with God—for just a bite of fruit? He wasn’t lacking in fresh fruit, not by any means. It’s not as if he was even hungry. He and Eve enjoyed all the abundance of the Garden. It was just that one fruit God had forbidden. A simple commandment he heard from Him with his own ears! Yet, losing Eden and all that meant—including that precious presence of God—was the price he was willing to pay for a mere bite. 

I think we have all looked back at Adam and Eve and wondered to ourselves, “How could they? How could they give it all up just like that? For nothing!” Some of us even take it personally. “All the evil in this world is their fault! Boy, do I have a bone to pick with them.” It is so hard to imagine not being able to obey God, when He’s standing right in front of you!

Yet, how much have we been willing to risk? How easily have we turned our eye from the instruction in God’s Word—isn’t it right there in black and white? We make excuses so quickly for our compromises. We may not be sentencing the whole of creation with our choice, but we are definitely impacting someone. Sin is never just about us. 

No matter how compelling a temptation Satan brings our way, the Word of God tells us that God will always provide a way of escape. The question is, will we take it? Adam made the wrong choice. Instead of judging him, let’s learn from his mistake.

My Filthy Rags

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I had three major confrontations with the Lord in 2001. They began at the women’s Bible study (testimony here) and continued through the summer, when I finally dipped into a pile of articles Doug had given me to read.

Those articles would eventually be life changing, but I didn’t want anything to do with them at first. Oh, I was very happy for him, because he’d finally found a ministry that actually addressed his spiritual need. It was the first time we’d heard anyone use the term sexual addiction, and these men* had testimonies to back up their articles. He felt so much hope, and I was hopeful, too. Maybe, this was the answer we’d been waiting for, and all my suffering would finally be over. 

You see, while I recognized there was a spiritual war going on, I didn’t realize Doug and I each had battles to fight. I thought this war was his war, because it was his fault. If he would just do the right thing, we’d win the war and live happily ever after. Wasn’t I doing my part?  Keep the home fires burning, Caroline! Despite the fact God had been dealing with me all year long, calling me to yield to His will for my life, I just didn’t understand that there was something for me to do. I was sure our problems started with him, and would only end when he stopped living a chronic cycle of Sin-Repent-Repeat. In the meanwhile, I would be the good Christian wife I thought I was and endure this suffering. Isn’t that what longsuffering means?

HOLD UP

Wives, God doesn’t call us to endure our husband’s sin. If we’re just holding our own, trying to get better at enduring, we’re wasting our time. That’s as far away from being a help meet as we can get. Yet, I know that’s what most wives think they’re supposed to do: don’t quit on him. Without meaning to, they become his enabler.  

You see there is a difference between godly endurance and human endurance, and too often we confuse them. Godly endurance stands out, because it bears spiritual fruit in both you and him. It doesn’t enable him to stay unchanged and in sin, but instead reminds him that his race isn’t over. We don’t ignore his fall and fail to hold him to account, but urge him to get up (repent) and keep going.  

WAIT A MINUTE

I’m not sure when I gave in and picked-up an article, but I do remember the words took me by surprise. Like a tsunami. The first article was called, “Why People Remain in Sin and Bondage,” by David Kyle Foster. I remember thinking that maybe this article would help me understand Doug better, but instead it helped me understand myself better. It was an incredible experience. Yes, it was life changing.  I very clearly recall sitting in bed and sensing the presence of Christ beside me. I could see myself next to Him, my head down, looking at the pure white drapes of His robe. It was then I finally saw my filthy rags. I wept, I repented. My eyes were opened. For so long I had seen myself somehow ahead of Doug on this course, but suddenly I realized we were in the same place. I had no advantage over him, because I didn’t struggle with his brand of sin. I was not further ahead, because I had grown-up in Sunday school classes. We were equally wretched sinners, both in need of a Savior. 

PUT A LITTLE LOVE IN IT

Looking back now, I realize that God was preparing me for what was soon to come. If our family was going to survive the onslaught Satan had prepared for us, I was going to have to rise up out of my selfish version of Christianity and become a woman God could actually use. I was going to have to put my flesh in its place, just as much as Doug would—though in very different ways. I was now in the war.

❤

*David Kyle Foster (Pure Passion) and Steve Gallagher (Pure Life Miniseries)

TBT: Some Thoughts on “Hotel Rwanda”

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I originally wrote this in 2012. This month was the 25th anniversary of this horrific event, and it seemed appropriate to share it again.

I’d been looking forward to seeing it.  I knew it would be a excellent film.  I knew the acting was going to be incredible.  I knew it would be informative.  I knew it would be a completely fulfilling movie experience, as good as I’d heard, and worthy of all the awards and accolades it’s received.

However, I had no idea it was going to speak to me so deeply.

No, I’m not going to start protesting human rights or dive deeper into politics in order to fight for social justice across the world.  Quite the contrary.

After I’d turned off the movie and while I was sitting in my bathroom weeping into a wad of toilet paper, I thought to myself: Who was the U.S. President then? Who can we blame for this? Then something happened. It was as if the Lord was turning my head and redirecting my line of vision.  I was suddenly looking down at the earth from the heavens. I could see the continents, and I was  trying to find Rwanda on the African piece of the planet.

That was when I realized it didn’t actually matter what country it was where this happened. God didn’t care about Rwanda, He cared about the people in Rwanda. And, the people in every other nation on this planet.  He doesn’t see the borders between countries. He sees the people. He sees the million bodies of the slain people in Rwanda that lined the roads for miles and miles, filling ditches and covering fields. These are people He so loves that He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for them. To save them—not from this life, but from the eternal death to come.

As I was watching Don Cheadle’s performance, I kept reminding myself of the real man who was willing to put his own life on the line for others. This man, just a regular man, was willing to give everything to save those who were helpless and defenseless against their enemy.

Wait. Wasn’t God asking the same of me? Wasn’t I supposed to be willing to lay down my life for those who are defenseless against the Enemy of their soul? Isn’t that what God has called us all to do?

So many Christians have taken up social causes and concerns, from abortion to human trafficking to crimes against children. It’s not that these things aren’t worthy concerns. They are terribly wrong acts against God.  That they are wrong—in fact, sin—is why I think we need to question making them, or supporting them as, a cause. Some Christians have built their entire faith and Christian walk around a cause that essentially boils down to trying to stop people from sinning. “Stop killing!” “Stop raping women!” “Stop unlawful behavior!”

Yet, we were not given the authority to do that, to stop people from sinning. Only the Holy Spirit can convict us of sin, and only the blood of Jesus can break those bondages. As Christians, we have the answer for the one who is bound. It’s called the Good News, and that is what we are called to preach. Why are we trying to do the Holy Spirit’s job, and not the one He has actually given us to do?  We’ve been commissioned to tell the lost how to be saved in order that they may have this power from on high. We should be prepared to lay down our lives in order to get the truth of the Cross to them, not the message that they should stop sinning. Who cares if anyone is spared from sin, but still left to die and go to Hell? It’s reverse legalism. And, it’s terrifying to me that the church has made this their gospel.

I really have to ask myself why have I spent so many hours of my life caring about politics and political issues, when there are people living and dying without Jesus. Why am I here, except to win the lost? Am I willing to I lay down my political activism at Christ’s feet and pick-up His cross instead?

I know that many will object to this message, and I can hear their arguments all ready. I do respect people for speaking out against injustice, and I don’t think we are supposed to not care that these things happen. However, I believe our approach has mostly been wrong, and I believe the proof of that is in the fruit of these efforts, and in the lack of souls in the church.

After forty years of pro-life activism, where’s the fruit? Why aren’t churches full of single mothers with children? Most churches don’t have a single mother’s small group, or a ministry to teen moms, or even a well-staffed nursery! Not to mention that most churches have a pitiful children’s ministry that is almost a second-thought. And, if so many Christians care so much about children and babies, where are the hordes of Christian foster parents? Why isn’t every Christian’s car full of neighborhood kids coming to Sunday School? How many churches have given up on VBS, because they couldn’t find enough volunteers?

Imagine with me what would happen if instead of giving $10 a month to stop human trafficking, Christians instead stopped patronizing pornography websites. What if, instead of protesting abortion, Christians began volunteering to teach Sunday School? What would happen if Christians stopped sending their money to conservative political lobbyists, and instead gave that money to missions? And, what if, instead of sending money to a charity that will feed the hungry, we gave our time and money towards opening a food pantry and soup kitchen in our own church? A rock star tells us to care about this, or care about that, and we jump to answer his call. We need to stop for a moment and ask ourselves what  the cause of Christ is first. What cause did He die for, and what cause did He call us to die for, too? Did He come to carry a sign in protest?  Is that the example we are supposed to follow? No, He came to carry a Cross.

Please, don’t get me wrong. My heart is stirred with compassion when I hear of the needs around the world. I wish another baby never had to be aborted again. I want to build wells in Africa, too! I care about these causes. I love meeting needs! However, I know it’s a lot easier to give money, than to give myself. And, it’s a lot easier to give myself to a man-made cause, than to give myself to the cause of Christ. I have been lead astray by the temptation to “do good” through a $5 or $500 gift, instead of actually “doing good” and living a life that will make a difference.

If you are still reading this, please ask yourself this question: What am I doing to support the cause of Christ? If you are not giving of your time, talent, and money to the cause of reaching the lost with the good news of John 3:16, I urge you to seek God and reconsider your choices.

Addendum

After writing this,I came across the following quote.
‎”Loving Him is to be our cause. He can take care of a lot of other causes without us, but He can’t make us love Him with all our heart. that’s the work we must do. Anything else is an imitation.” (Keith Green)

In The Beginning

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About 20 years ago, Doug and I were in the battle of our lives. We didn’t know it, but we were at a turning point. How we came through this was going to redefine the rest of our lives. And, though we were battling for the same cause, we were fighting on different fronts. He had his fight, and I had mine.

Of course, I did not understand any of this at the time. From my perspective then, this war was essentially his fault, and his deliverance was going to bring an end to the conflict. That was the focus of my prayer life: that God would deliver him.

However, God had a call on my life that I wasn’t answering. It was the call to be my husband’s help meet. Though I had grown-up in church, I was never taught the true, biblical meaning of the word. I never heard a pastor preach on it, and my premarital counseling never even mentioned it. No one ever told me it was God’s call on every wife’s life. No one ever told me the spiritual responsibility I had, or the spiritual authority God had given me. I wish I’d been equipped from the beginning with all I learned that year, and the years since, because I think it would have made all the difference.

That’s why I blog about it now. I am desperate to see Christian men fulfill the call of God on their lives, but they cannot do it alone. 

“And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” Genesis 2:18, KJV

God recognized man’s need, and made woman. However, there is a job to be done here. It is not just a title; a position of honor. It is a calling. 

And, it’s a calling I am still learning to answer. I have an excellent Teacher, but I am a poor student. So, I am learning as I type. I am determined to keep typing, though. I believe there is at least one woman who will read this, receive it, and it will make all the difference for her, her husband, her marriage, her family, and the Kingdom of God. I believe that with all my heart. It is a call that may not be easy, ladies—especially, if your husband is not walking with the Lord. However, it is a ministry unto the Lord. Your obedience to this call has eternal consequences—and, eternal rewards! 

So, yes, I will be writing more on the subject and filing these posts in the “Help Meet” category so they can be easily found.

God bless you tonight. ❤