Showing posts with label TROY ANDERSON. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TROY ANDERSON. Show all posts

Friday, November 20, 2015

Pat Buchanan Calls President Obama's 'Mindset' Into Question - TROY ANDERSON CHARISMA NEWS

Pat Buchanan says President Obama should be outraged over Paris attacks.

Pat Buchanan says President Obama should be outraged over Paris attacks. (Reuters )


Pat Buchanan Calls President Obama's 'Mindset' Into Question



Conservative commentator Pat Buchanan called into question the "mindset" of President Obama following his remarks chiding anti-refugee politicians as being "scared of widows and 3-year-old orphans."
In an interview on Newsmax TV, Buchanan criticized the president for his remarks lashing out at Republicans who called for barring Syrian refugees in the United States.
"He didn't really show what he should have shown, which was American leadership in the time of a real crisis for our ally in France," Buchanan told The Steve Malzberg Show."He really seems to be letting Republican criticism get to him.
"The president has not handled this at all well, there's no question about it. This was a massacre, a perpetrated massacre, the largest hit on France militarily, lost more casualties than any single incident since World War II. He's focusing on the Republican Party—and he's calling it a setback in the war on terror. You have to ask yourself about the mindset of the president right now."
Buchanan's remarks followed comments Obama made in the Philippines on Wednesday at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit. At the summit, Obama make veiled references to GOP candidates who have called for closing the nation's borders to refugees.
"These are the same folks oftentimes that say they're so tough that just talking to (Russian President Vladimir) Putin or staring down ISIL (ISIS) or using some additional rhetoric will solve the problem—and they're scared of widows and 3-year-old orphans," Obama said.
Meanwhile, a growing number of mostly Republican governors have called for shutting down their states to Syrian refugees.
Obama said intelligence agencies vet the refugees coming to the U.S. for up to two years prior to their entrance into the U.S.
"We are not well-served when, in response to a terrorist attack, we descend into fear and panic," Obama said. "We don't make good decisions if they're based on hysteria or an exaggeration of risks."
For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
NEW - Life in the Spirit is your Spirit-filled teaching guide. Encounter the Holy Spirit, hear God speak to you, and enjoy timeless teachings on love, mercy and forgiveness.LEARN MORE!

Friday, November 6, 2015

Suicidal and 'Deep in Sin,' Nickelodeon Star Reveals How He Found Faith - TROY ANDERSON, CHARISMA NEWS

A photo of Kel Mitchell

Kel Mitchell tells PEOPLE his journey to faith. (YouTube)


Suicidal and 'Deep in Sin,' Nickelodeon Star Reveals How He Found Faith





In 2004, former Nickelodeon teen star Kel Mitchell says his life was falling apart as his marriage to Tyisha Hampton was ending.
"I felt like I'd hit a wall," Mitchell, 37, told PEOPLE. "I was like, 'Okay. I need to figure out what I need to do in my life.'"
While dealing with his divorce, Mitchell says he had encountered a "confusion moment" in his life.
"I have been through so many ups and downs in my life," Mitchell wrote on hisblog. "Suicidal, divorce, drug and alcohol usage, deep in sin, dealing with the loss of loved ones to gang violence, debt, hurt, pain, vanity, lust, heartbreak, feeling LOST looking for answers."
At that time, the former star of Nickelodeon's All That says he decided to return to the faith he learned while growing up on the South Side of Chicago where his grandfather was a pastor.
"I was trying to figure it all out on my own. But what I needed to do was turn to Him," says Mitchell, who now stars in the new Nickelodeon sitcom Game Shakers. "Once I found that clarity with Christ, I knew everything would work out."
Today, Mitchell says he's found "peace" thanks to God.
"I enjoy living this life," Mitchell says. "I don't let things frustrate or worry me anymore. I don't do that because I have peace in my heart. I have God."

For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
NEW - Life in the Spirit is your Spirit-filled teaching guide. Encounter the Holy Spirit, hear God speak to you, and enjoy timeless teachings on love, mercy and forgiveness.LEARN MORE!

Is The Global Economy Following The 'Classic Crash Formula?' - TROY ANDERSON CHARISMA NEWS

Stock market experts are asking whether the global economy is following the 'Classic Crash Formula.'


Stock market experts are asking whether the global economy is following the 'Classic Crash Formula.' (Reuters)


Is The Global Economy Following The 'Classic Crash Formula?'


Join us on our podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

After $11 trillion in global stock market wealth was wiped out in the third quarter of this year—the end of the biblical Shemitah—the markets have rallied to new highs.
As this has happened, financial analysts and prophecy experts have asked two questions, "Are we out of the woods yet?" or "Is this the calm before the storm?"
Jay Peroni, the chief investment officer at Faith-Based Investor and author of Blood Moons on Wall Street, says these are important questions on the minds of many investors. Despite a strong market recovery in October, Peroni says he's seeing "very troubling signs for the global economy and stock market ahead."
Some of these signs, according to Peroni, include:
  • U.S. third quarter gross domestic product rose at just 1.5 percent, far below the 3.9 percent growth rate during the second quarter.
  • U.S. exports have fallen over 11 percent this year—lining up with prior recessions.
  • Manufacturing activity, a good indicator of overall financial health, has steadily declined in the U.S. and China—the largest economies in the world.
  • Nations throughout the world are keeping their countries propped up solely through central bank stimulus—keeping interest rates artificially low and printing more money to stimulate economic growth.
  • The International Monetary Fund has warned the world economy could crash if central banks do not continue their low interest rate policies.
  • Tensions with Russia and Syria could erupt into a much more global war, disrupting world stability.
  • The refugee crisis in Europe could make an already fragile economic crisis much worse.
At a time when many people believe the markets have normalized and the "worst is behind us," Peroni says this couldn't be further from the truth. Normally, during a bull market rally, investors will see a spike in the number of shares traded. In October, trading volume fell. Meanwhile, the number of advancing stocks versus declining stocks dropped, and the total number of advancing stocks as a group also declined—a bearish sign for the markets ahead. Further, earning expectations are the worst on record since the Great Recession.
Adding further stress to the U.S., President Obama is expected to sign into law a new budget on Monday that would increase the national debt to $20 trillion by the time he leaves office in 2017—double the amount when he took the oath in 2009.
In light of these signs, Peroni says the current market looks like it could be "following the classic crash formula" of a stock market drop followed by a quick recovery and then comes the "real collapse."
"Basically, what you tend to see whenever a crash has happened, if you go back to the last three major crashes in 1987, 2000 and 2007-08, is the market will have a pretty big drop—anywhere from 10-20 percent—and then you see a quick recovery ... followed by the third leg which is a significant drop even worse than the first drop."
Peroni says current market conditions and the global economy seem to be following the same pattern of prior Shemitahs that marked the beginning of market crashes that took place over the course of at least several months.
"It really does because it has been following the seven-year Shemitah pattern," Peroni says. "Even though August didn't give us a major crash—it gave us more of a correction—all the things that are developing are pretty significant. Around the world, we're seeing everything from China's stock market crashing to countries being in recessions and depressions.
"The other big development is the whole crisis with refugees. You have all these developments—Syria and Russian tensions. All these things are very much lining up with what we saw in the last Shemitah cycle where the markets started to unravel. Sometimes it's slowly and sometimes it's quickly. This one is unraveling a little more slowly, but there is a lot of strength behind it, and it could very quickly pick up steam."
Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, author of the New York Times best-selling books The Harbinger and The Mystery of the Shemitah, says America and the world "won't be out of the woods without repentance and a change of course."
"Any nation that turns away and turns against the ways of God is in danger of judgment," Cahn says. "America has turned away and is now turning increasingly against the ways of God and the foundation upon which it was founded."
The Hebrew word Shemitah can be translated to mean "the Fall." It was a previous year of the Shemitah—1973—that defined one of the greatest moments in America's moral and spiritual fall from God, the year it legalized the killing of the unborn, Cahn says. During this year's Shemitah, another milestone in America's fall from God was crossed as the nation, in effect, struck down the biblical order of marriage ordained by God, Cahn says.
"We have now reached the point when the state is finding guilty, punishing and even throwing in jail those who will not participate in what God calls sin," Cahn says. "To those to whom much is given, much is required. America has been given much, and much will be required. How much more America could do to invoke the judgment of God is hard to imagine. No, we are not out of the woods.
"Add to the equation the fact that at the same moment of our departure from God, we are departing from Israel, even taking action which the leaders of Israel say is putting the Jewish state in danger—(it's) a most dangerous combination."
Mark Biltz, founder of El Shaddai Ministries and author of Blood Moons: Decoding Imminent Heavenly Signs, says the world is "definitely not out of the woods, but entering the woods."
"The first year of a new seven-year cycle is often when judgment is poured out from a prophetic point of view," Biltz says. "We are now beyond the tipping point and will see dramatic results by the end of next year."
The last three market crashes, Peroni says, were preceded by initial drops of 10-15 percent, followed by sharp rebounds like the one that occurred in October. Based on history, Peroni says there are "still high odds that we could see another big crash very soon."
"Now is the time to have a game plan for a tough market," Peroni says. "It could be the calm before the storm. Make sure you own solid investments that can stand up through tough times."

For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
NEW - Life in the Spirit is your Spirit-filled teaching guide. Encounter the Holy Spirit, hear God speak to you, and enjoy timeless teachings on love, mercy and forgiveness.LEARN MORE!

Friday, October 30, 2015

Is The World Turning Its Back on Israel in Fulfillment of Prophecy? - TROY ANDERSON CHARISMA MAGAZINE

Palestinian protesters

Palestinian protesters. The rise in attacks against Israeli citizens began last month following rumors that Israel was planning to take over the Temple Mount. (Reuters)

Is The World Turning Its Back on Israel in Fulfillment of Prophecy?



Join us on our new podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

As the world turns against Israel, Chosen People Ministries President Mitch Glaser is calling on Christians to speak out against the eruption of violence, efforts to weaken the nation's sovereignty and other disturbing developments in the "apple of His eye." 
Glaser's request comes amid a "wave of terror" in Israel that has left more than 110 people wounded and 10 killed, according to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The recent series of attacks against Israelis is the "direct result of incitement by radical Islamist and terrorist elements, calling on Palestinian youth to murder Jews," Israeli officials say.  
"We need to stand up and say it's immoral for people to murder and maim innocent individuals," Glaser says. "What rationale can anybody have for killing a toddler? We need to raise our voices, affirm what we believe about Israel and ask our government to declare that the current violence is wrong and should be stopped."
In an effort to stop the violence, Glaser is asking believers to sign a petition to urge U.S. Secretary of State Kerry to help put a stop to the violence against Israelis. The petition, available at everystateforisrael.com, urges Kerry to demand that the Palestinian Authority do everything in its power to "stop these random acts of personal terrorism against Israeli citizens." It also asks the U.S. government to put a stop to the hundreds of millions of dollars in aid that is currently being sent to the Palestinian Authority.
"People are talking about this as the beginning of the Third Intifada," Glaser says. "We are definitely not there yet, but if everybody is not careful, it could erupt."
The world, it seems, has largely turned against Israel in recent years, biblical experts say, pointing to the dangerous Iranian nuclear deal, the push for a United Nations' vote to create the Palestinian state, worsening anti-Semitism and now a wave of terrorist attacks that began on the Temple Mount in east Jerusalem. 
In recent weeks, dozens of Israelis have been deliberately run over, shot, stabbed and hacked to death. In large part, this is because Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas "has joined ISIS and Hamas in claiming that Israel threatens the al-Aqsa mosque," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday in a meeting with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
The rise in attacks against Israeli citizens began last month following rumors that Israel was planning to take over the Temple Mount. Recently, the Palestinian Authority submitted a resolution to the U.N. seeking to claim the Western Wall as a Muslim holy site. The proposal refers to Jerusalem as "the occupied capital of Palestine."
"Israel totally rejects the shameful resolution on 'Occupied Palestine' adopted (Wednesday) at the plenary of the 197th Session of UNESCO's Executive Board," an Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said. "The resolution aims to transform the Israeli-Palestinian conflict into a religious confrontation and its adoption is a disgrace for UNESCO's Executive Board. The Executive Board has joined the pyromaniacs seeking to set fire to the most sensitive sites to humankind."
This convergence in events, Glaser says, could be signs of the beginning of fulfillment of Zechariah 12:3, a biblical passage that foretells how all nations will turn against Israel in the last days: "And it will be on that day that I will set Jerusalem as a weighty stone to all the peoples. All who carry it will surely gash themselves, and all the nations of the land will be gathered against it."
Zechariah 12:9 indicates Jesus Christ will return at some point to "save His people and destroy the enemies of Israel," Glaser says.
"We understand that has not yet been fulfilled, but it will be fulfilled and probably today we are beginning to see the fulfillment," Glaser says. "Clearly, the Bible says Israel will become a nation, the Jewish people will be back in the land, which has already happened, enemies will surround Israel and the Lord will return to conquer those nations and save Israel. So, yeah, I think it's right in front of our face."
Sid Roth, host of It's Supernatural!, says he's preached from these same Scriptures for 35 years.
"I know I will be alive to witness three events," Roth says. "First will be the violent anti-Semitism against Jews worldwide. Second, this will trigger a massive return of the Jewish people to Israel as the Scriptures predicted. Third, the greatest spiritual awakening in history will occur in Israel, including creative miracles the world has never seen.
"This, in turn, will spark the greatest Gentile revival in history. Israel will survive, but I am concerned for the nations that are trying to divide the land of Israel. Joel 3 says God's end-time judgment on the nations will be for 'dividing up His land!'"
Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, the New York Times best-selling author of The Harbinger and The Mystery of the Shemitah, says end-time prophecy presents a scenario in which the "entire world is focused on Jerusalem, and is set against the nation of Israel."
"The fact that 2,000 years later, the world is overwhelmingly set against Israel and ultimately focused on the issue of Jerusalem is amazing," Cahn says. "The issue of Palestine, which threatens to surface at the United Nations, will only increase the world's pressure being placed on Israel.
"Israel is right now experiencing a massive wave of violence within its borders. The situation is volatile. This wave of violence began in September when fighting broke out on the Temple Mount. The day it all began was Sept. 13, Elul 29, the day of the Shemitah, a Hebrew word that can be translated as 'the shaking.'"
Mark Biltz, founder of El Shaddai Ministries and author of Blood Moons: Decoding the Imminent Heavenly Signs, says political leaders are blinded to the real issues regarding Jerusalem—helping explain why there will not be peace until the Messiah comes.
"The big issue is truly a religious one," Biltz says. "As more people realize this, the greater the turmoil will be. Prophecy says the Messiah will reign from Jerusalem, as it will be the place of His throne, and Jerusalem will be the capital of the world. The nations are driven like madmen with rabies against all that is godly. Jerusalem is to be a light to the nations and the nations will have none of it."
Concerning Jerusalem, the Bible says in Zechariah 2:8, "For thus says the Lord of Hosts: He has sent Me after glory to the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye."
"All the nations trying to divide Jerusalem and delegitimize Israel's sovereignty are poking God in the eye," Biltz says. "God will shake His hand over them in judgment so the remnant of these nations may be joined to Him and His people Israel. When the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel is aroused, it is time to take heed."

For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
NEW - Life in the Spirit is your Spirit-filled teaching guide. Encounter the Holy Spirit, hear God speak to you, and enjoy timeless teachings on love, mercy and forgiveness.LEARN MORE!

Monday, October 5, 2015

Why the Church Must Tell Israel: 'Here Am I'

Christians must stand with and protect Jews today.

Christians must stand with and protect Jews today. (iStock photo )


Why the Church Must Tell Israel: 'Here Am I'

Christians must stand with and protect Jews today. (iStock photo )
Standing With Israel
At the new Friends of Zion Museum in Israel, visitors complete their tour by watching a 3-D film featuring the heroic stories of Christians such as Corrie ten Boom, Oskar Schindler, Raoul Wallenberg and others who helped save the lives of tens of thousands of Jews during World War II.
After watching the film, each visitor is challenged to make the biblical commitment of "Hineni"—a Hebrew word meaning "Here am I"—to defend God's chosen people. At a time when Israel faces a host of serious threats—the push for a United Nations' vote to create the Palestinian state, the dangerous Iranian nuclear deal and worsening anti-Semitism—it's critical for the church to follow the biblical mandate to stand with Israel by declaring, "Here am I."
Today, a spiritual hunger exists among the Jewish people, and many of them are increasingly open to the possibility that Yeshua, or Jesus, is the Messiah. A recent Pew Research Center survey revealed more than a third of American Jews are of the opinion that believing Yeshua is the Messiah is compatible with being Jewish.
At the same time, millions of Jews are returning to their ancient homeland and more than half now live in Israel. Many biblical scholars view this as a fulfillment of Ezekiel 36:24: "For I will take you among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land."  Today, many believe God is doing something extraordinary and new among the Jewish people. Sid Roth, host of It's Supernatural!, believes the restoration of the Jewish people to their Messiah will be the catalyst to release the greatest Gentile revival in history. "When these Jewish people come to the Messiah, it will be the devil's worst nightmare," Roth says. "These Jewish people are going to turn the world upside down." This is one of the reasons why America and the church need to stand with Israel. It's time for the world to hear the voice of faith leaders, pastors and believers expressing their rock-solid support for Israel. Preach a sermon. Call your congressional representative. Write a letter to the editor. Israel is in crisis and needs our help.
Earlier this summer, President Obama raised the possibility that the United States would allow a U.N. vote on the creation of the Palestinian state if the Israelis and the Palestinians don't make meaningful movement toward peace. Many faith leaders have expressed alarm, saying the proposal could bring "a curse on our country." Liberty Counsel Founder Mat Staver noted that no nation that has opposed Israel or taken the land of the Jews has survived. "Babylon, Persia, Rome and Nazi Germany have all ceased, but Israel and the Jewish people remain," Staver says.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the nuclear agreement with Iran as a "historic mistake" threatening Israel and the U.S. The danger is greater than many people realize. Iranian leaders believe the end of days has arrived and their messiah, the "Twelfth Imam," is coming to reign over the world. They believe they need nuclear weapons to destroy  not only Israel, which they call "the little Satan," but also the U.S., the "great Satan."
Despite America's changing foreign policies, the good news is that U.S. evangelicals remain Israel's strongest supporters. A LifeWay Research poll found 80 percent of senior pastors agree Christians should support Israel.  
America exemplifies how God can bless a nation that stands by Israel. While the U.S. doesn't have a perfect record, it helped defeat the Nazis in World War II and until recently has been Israel's staunch ally. It would be foolish for the U.S. to turn its back on Israel, especially in light of God's warning in Genesis 12:3: "I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse ... ."  
After 2,000 years of persecution—the Crusades, the Inquisition and the Holocaust—the shofar needs to be heard from every church and synagogue in the land, warning of the dangers facing the Jews.
Today, Christians have an opportunity to share the Good News. As Roth notes, the "spiritual blindness judgment" is ending and Jewish people are open to the gospel for the first time in nearly 2,000 years. "I see the greatest awakening in history on the horizon," Roth says. "Will you put your faith on the line with my faith?"
We must do our part. Israel's survival is at stake. Just as ten Boom, Schindler, Wallenberg and many others risked their lives and careers to protect the Jews during World War II, we must do the same now—declaring to the world: "Here am I." 

Troy Anderson is the executive editor of Charisma. Follow him on Twitter@TroyMAndersonFacebook (troyandersonwriteror sign up for his "For Such a Time as This" column at charismamag.com/blogs/for-such-a-time-as-this.
For a limited time, we are extending our celebration of the 40th anniversary of Charisma. As a special offer, you can get 40 issues of Charisma magazine for only $40!
NEW - Life in the Spirit is your Spirit-filled teaching guide. Encounter the Holy Spirit, hear God speak to you, and enjoy timeless teachings on love, mercy and forgiveness.LEARN MORE!
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Sunday, September 13, 2015

The Babylon Code: Rise of the End-Time World State - PAUL MCGUIRE AND TROY ANDERSON


(© iStockphoto/Leonardo Patrizi; claudiodivizia; egal)


The Babylon Code: Rise of the End-Time World State

Join us on our podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

The world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham, in an exclusive interview, said, "The Bible indicates that as the time for Christ's return approaches, evil and social chaos may well intensify. Are we living in those days?"
It's the great question of our time. Are we now living in the last days of planet Earth?
If so, how will the apocalyptic events foreseen by the ancient prophets unfold? Are powerful forces now at work to create a global government, economic system and religion as predicted in the Bible?
Unlocking a great biblical mystery that has puzzled scholars for nearly 2,000 years,The Babylon Code: Solving the Bible's Greatest End Times Mystery unearths answers to these momentous questions. In the book, we explore a prophetic enigma that begins in Genesis at the Tower of Babel and ends in Revelation with the Battle of Armageddon. The prediction involves "Mystery, Babylon"—the Bible's greatest end-time riddle—and reveals how an elite group of wealthy globalists and their interlocking network of transnational corporations, international banks, government agencies, think tanks, foundations and clandestine organizations are working to create a global government, cashless society and universal religion as predicted in Scripture.
The world is at a final turning point. An unparalleled convergence and acceleration in end-time signs is now occurring. These harbingers are geopolitical, economic, scientific, technological, cultural and moral.
To ordinary men and women these forces are overwhelming, as if a giant tsunami is about to drown everything they've ever known or dreamed of. It's at this moment that every one of us is confronted with a choice. Either we can allow ourselves to be overcome by fear, leading to panic, or we can seek to understand the nature of the forces behind these events so we can survive.
In an out-of-control, upside-down world, there are two urgent questions: Is it possible that God embedded a code in the Bible that could be cracked only in the end times? What if by decoding this prophetic cryptogram we could unlock the secret to both our salvation and our survival?  
The Great Biblical Mystery
Our five-year journalistic investigation into this biblical cypher uncovered astonishing evidence that not only has the countdown to Armageddon begun, but the elite are involved in an international political and economic takeover—what one former United States official calls a "global financial coup d'état."
As we investigated this prophetic mystery sweeping across time, we unearthed evidence connecting a secretive, international power structure with ties to ancient Babylon—the occult-enmeshed civilization where the "magic of money manipulation" and the first world government originated—to what today's globalists call the "New World Order."
Featuring scores of exclusive interviews with prominent world leaders and highly respected experts in geopolitics, economics, science and theology, The Babylon Code is the first book by a mainstream, award-winning investigative journalist and a prophecy expert to explore the nexus between current events, secretive organizations and end-time biblical predictions.
Our investigation into this apocalyptic puzzle uncovered what could be one of the biggest stories and political scandals in modern history. It also unearthed answers to the questions many have about the troubling events now transpiring in the world. Recent polls and statements by world leaders demonstrate extraordinary public interest in this topic:
  • A Barna Group survey found 4 in 10 Americans—and 77 percent of evangelical Christians—believe the "world is now living in the biblical end times."
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently told the United Nations General Assembly that "Biblical prophecies are being realized." Meanwhile, Pope Francis said the world has entered the "last times" and is at the beginning of a "piecemeal" Third World War.
  • A McLaughlin & Associates poll found that 80 percent of Americans fear a "Second Holocaust" in Israel—and 68 percent fear a "nuclear holocaust" in the United States—if the world does not take decisive action to stop Iran from building nuclear weapons.
  • Meanwhile, 28 percent of American voters believe a secretive power elite with a globalist agenda are working to create an authoritarian world government. Nearly 40 percent of Republican voters agree.
A Final Turning Point
These stunning poll results come amid an explosion of interest in the end times. In recent years, a seemingly nonstop series of crises has prompted many to ask whether the conclusion of the human epoch is quickly approaching. These concerns have intensified since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks—an event that shocked the world and some saw as the biggest wake-up call in the nation's history. Since then, disaster after disaster has battered the planet—the Indian Ocean tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, the Haiti earthquake, the global economic meltdown and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.
Recently, people worldwide have been intrigued by the convergence of a rare set of four blood moons and the biblical Shemitah, along with Sir Isaac Newton's end-time prediction known as "Newton's Riddle" regarding 2015-2016—asking whether these are portents of the beginning of the end.
A number of prophecy scholars in recent years have uncovered biblical mysteries and riddles they say point toward the possible fulfillment of end-time prophecies in the years ahead.
Nations are drowning in unparalleled levels of debt. Fears of a cataclysmic economic collapse and hyperinflation are rising. Tensions between Russia and America are growing, ISIS is warning the West of "Armageddon," and North Korea has threatened a nuclear strike on the U.S. Some experts believe Iran may already have nuclear weapons—further raising the specter of the unthinkable. Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum says the world is experiencing record-breaking natural disasters and extreme weather, not to mention worsening global drought and famine.
Scientists are sounding the alarm about the dangers of mega-earthquakes and tsunamis, the Yellowstone supervolcano, solar storms and massive tornadoes, the likes of which the world has never seen.
A report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change urged the world to prepare for more intense drought, famine, floods, freak weather and heat waves—emphasizing that the "world's food supply is at considerable risk."
A Brookings Institution report put it bluntly: The world is in an "unprecedented state of crisis."
Is this the end of civilization?
Noam Chomsky, a political theorist and a professor of linguistics emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology who is considered "one of the world's most controversial thinkers," pondered that question in a recent article, "The End of History? The Short, Strange Era of Human Civilization Would Appear to Be Drawing to a Close."
"It is not pleasant to contemplate the thoughts that must be passing through the mind of the Owl of Minerva as the dusk falls and she undertakes the task of interpreting the era of human civilization, which may now be approaching its inglorious end," Chomsky wrote.
Chomsky's concerns are echoed in a recent study by professors and researchers at the University of Maryland and the University of Minnesota who found that civilization could be headed for an "irreversible collapse" because of unsustainable resource exploitation and increasingly unequal wealth distribution between the rich and the poor.
A recent Oxfam report titled "Working for the Few" found wealthy elites have "coopted political power to rig the rules of the economic game, undermining democracy"—creating a world where the 85 richest people own nearly half the world's wealth. The report found that 1 percent of the world's population control 46 percent, or $110 trillion, of its wealth. Noting growing public awareness of this "power-grab," the report found that increasing inequality is helping the rich undermine democratic processes and drive government policies that promote their interests at the expense of everyone else.
Meanwhile, a growing number of scientists and philosophers at Oxford, Cambridge, MIT and the University of California, Berkeley, believe the world needs to start thinking seriously about the threat of human extinction. Curiously, a report by the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford warned that one of the risks that threaten human civilization is a "world dictatorship" or a "global totalitarian state."
The Convergence
While secular experts warn of societal collapse and the end of civilization brought about by over exploitation of natural resources and income inequality, faith leaders say the roots of the world's problems are spiritual in nature and coincide with an unparalleled acceleration and convergence in signs of the last days.
Graham—the famed evangelist who has preached to more people (2.2 billion) than any Protestant in history—says he believes the world is approaching the "end of the age."
"There's a great deal to say in the Bible about the signs we're to watch for, and when these signs all converge at one place, we can be sure that we're close to the end of the age," Graham says. "And those signs in my judgment are converging now for the first time since Jesus made those predictions."
Graham's remarks follow a letter he released in the summer of 2012 comparing America to ancient Nineveh—the lone superpower of its time. When the prophet Jonah finally traveled to Nineveh and proclaimed God's warning, the people repented and escaped judgment. He believes the same thing can happen in America.
Greg Laurie, pastor at the 15,000-member Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, and president of Harvest Crusades, says Graham is a "prophetic voice, and to me it's like Isaiah or Jeremiah standing up and telling our nation what we need to do. We would be wise to heed his warning and his admonitions and turn back to God because I believe God's prophet is speaking to us."
Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, author of the New York Times best-selling books The Harbinger and The Mystery of the Shemitah, says Graham's message has grown "more and more prophetic" in recent years.
"Before God brings a nation into judgment, He sends warning," says Cahn, whose book The Harbinger is based on a real-life prophetic mystery he discovered in the Bible that unveiled the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the "War on Terror" and the 2008 global economic meltdown. "Before He brought judgment and destruction on ancient Israel, He warned them. The Harbinger is the revealing of how the same nine harbingers of judgment which appeared in the last days of ancient Israel are now reappearing on American soil."
Joel C. Rosenberg—a former adviser to Netanyahu and the New York Times best-selling author of Implosion: Can America Recover from Its Economic and Spiritual Challenges in Time?—says he was taken aback by the Israeli prime minister's remarks before the United Nations. "There are very few world leaders who believe Bible prophecies are coming true in our lifetime, much less are willing to say that publicly," Rosenberg says. "I'm trying to draw a little bit more attention to (Netanyahu's comment), its significance and a question raised by it: If the prophecies related to the rebirth of the State of Israel have come true in our lifetime, when will other major Bible prophecies come true as well?"
Runup to the Second Coming
In addition to the rebirth of Israel, the Bible predicts a series of events in the runup to the Second Coming—an explosion in knowledge, the development of "mark of the Beast" technologies and ultimately the creation of a global government, cashless society, and false religious system.
Today, prominent world leaders and military officials are openly talking in the media about the possibility of a nuclear conflagration and a worldwide economic collapse. Even more remarkably, experts in science, economics and geopolitics across the political spectrum agree that the planet is facing a confluence of unparalleled dangers. On one hand, many believe climate change poses an existential threat to humanity. On the other, leaders of many faiths say events in recent decades suggest ancient prophecies are coming true. Throughout the world, people sense something epochal is occurring.
The most optimistic—futurists and transhumanists—believe humanity is on the cusp of a technology-driven quantum leap forward that will usher in a "techno-utopian" New Age era. Others are alarmed by the deepening chaos and immorality in the world. A Barna Group poll found that 81 percent of Americans believe morality is in a free fall.
Many believe the world is on the verge of an economic and societal collapse that will ultimately lead to what the Bible calls the Tribulation—a seven-year period of mayhem that culminates in the Battle of Armageddon. It is commonly believed that this period will begin when the Antichrist signs a peace treaty with Israel. During the first half of the Tribulation, the world will experience a time of peace and prosperity. But in the latter half, the Antichrist will consolidate his power and institute a global government, economic system and religion with the help of the False Prophet. During this time, he will declare himself to be God, require universal worship and demand that people take the notorious "mark of the Beast." Without it, people won't be able to earn a living or buy the necessities of life. By the time of the final battle, prophecy experts believe anywhere from one-half to two-thirds or more of the world's population will have perished via war, disease, starvation, cataclysmic natural disasters and the Antichrist's reign of terror.
Many today are unaware that we are now approaching the final battle for our world and that everything we see happening is connected with that conflict.
Global Domination and a Cashless Society
In journalism, investigative reporters are often told to "follow the money" to uncover the real truth behind a story. Likewise, money and the "love of money" is a prominent theme throughout the Bible. In fact, it is such an important topic that it is the main subject of nearly half of Jesus' parables. In the New Testament, one in every seven verses deals with money. And while the Bible has about 500 verses regarding prayer, it includes more than 2,000 verses about money. So it's no surprise that money and rampant materialism play an important role in the rise of "Mystery, Babylon" in the end times. As the world's governments amass unprecedented levels of debt, many are asking how it will all end. Many believe the global recession and the international debt crisis are just the beginning of events that will lead to the global economic system foretold by the prophets.
Today, for the first time since Genesis 11 and the Tower of Babel, the potential of a global government and cashless society is within mankind's reach. All the necessary components are in place for creating a socialistic world government—the surveillance state, political bodies such as the United Nations, electronic banking and microchip implants.
While seldom mentioned in the mainstream media, the push for "global governance" has advanced significantly in recent years. At a U.N. summit this month, the nations of the world are scheduled to consider a sweeping set of sustainable development goals costing trillions of dollars, including unspecified "reforms of the mechanisms of global governance." The authors of the U.N. report citing these reforms note that the next 15 years will be some of the "most transformative in human history."
Meanwhile, biometrics, digital currencies and similar technologies are moving the world ever closer to a cashless society. In a cnbc.com article—"Cashless Society: A Huge Threat to Our Freedom"—bank chairman Scott A. Shay warned of the dangers of the "sprint to a cashless economy" that will "permit governments to exercise incredibly powerful control over all human behavior."
Increasingly, these and similar articles are showing up in the mainstream media or in reports by think tanks. Recently, Hudson Institute senior fellow John Fonte—author ofSovereignty or Submission: Will Americans Rule Themselves or Be Ruled by Others?—wrote that the world is at the beginning of an epic international conflict between the forces of global governance and the democratic nation-state.
"The concept of 'global governance' is in the air," Fonte wrote. "For many of the world's elites—who gather at places like Geneva, Davos, The Hague, U.N. headquarters in Manhattan, and wherever the G20 meets—global governance is the 'big idea.' Leading thinkers argue that today's global issues are too complex for the 'obsolete' nation-state system ... We are told that 'sovereignty' must be redefined as something that is 'shared' or 'pooled.' "
The Babylonian World Order
The rise of the final Babylonian system aligns with prophecies in Daniel and Revelation regarding an end-time global government, economy and religion. Many prophecy scholars believe some type of international crisis will serve as the catalyst facilitating the rise of the predicted global dictator who will oversee this system. "The Antichrist will initially be a man of peace and he will be a man with global and economic solutions," Laurie says. "He will come as a false messiah. So any talk I hear of a one-world currency and a one-world government is certainly a cause for concern if it means a move toward the end-time scenario spoken of in Revelation."
Mark Hitchcock, a pastor, prophecy scholar, and adjunct professor at Dallas Theological Seminary, says globalization is setting the stage for the fulfillment of end-time predictions.
"The Bible tells us in Revelation 13 that there is going to be a one-world economy, a one-world religion, and there is going to be a one-world government in the end, and so to me the globalism that we see today points toward that," Hitchcock says. "How much longer will it take for the stage to be set? No one knows."
The move toward a cashless society and the development of mark of the Beast technologies are the necessary components for the total societal control the Bible predicts the Antichrist and the False Prophet will wield. Hitchcock believes a cashless society is coming: "I think we are seeing the beginning of it already. When we look at our world today, we see things moving in that direction, and in some cases, rapidly. To me, the convergence of all these things is staggering."
The Reason for Our Hope
Although our investigation uncovered extensive evidence that powerful forces are working to create a world state and cashless society, it doesn't mean it's a fait accompli. God gave us free will, and we believe there is still hope. We believe that there is a personal, living God of the universe who ultimately controls the destiny of the world and that He embedded a code in the Bible that has largely remained an enigma for nearly two millennia. We also believe that God gave each man and woman the power to decipher this code by reading God's Word.
When we understand this code the truth opens up to us. We discover that there is a force at work not only in the world, but in our personal lives that is far greater than the chaos. Ultimately, that force for good is embodied in Jesus. Even in the middle of the pandemonium, there is a real reason for hope, and that hope is Jesus. At a certain point in human history, at a time known only to God, Jesus will return to this earth at His Second Coming. At that time, He will destroy the counterfeit New World Order and "Mystery, Babylon" will fall.
At the Second Coming, God will usher in a brand-new world, a new heaven, a new earth and the new Jerusalem. Jesus will conquer death, and all those who put their faith in Him will be given new bodies and live forever.
When we trust in that reality, we have an unshakeable hope. In fact, Revelation is the Bible's greatest book of hope. It reveals God's final chapter in the story of humanity's salvation that began in Genesis. In the end, God is victorious. That's the great hope of our faith, and that's why "God's prophet" is sounding the alarm about the Second Coming.
Excerpted from THE BABYLON CODE: Solving the Bible's Greatest End Times Mystery. Copyright © 2015  Paul McGuire and Troy Anderson. Reprinted by permission of FaithWords, a division of Hachette Book Group. All rights reserved.

Paul McGuire is a prophecy expert, commentator for Fox News and the History Channel and host of GOD TV's "Apocalypse and the End Times." He's the former host of the nationally syndicated "Paul McGuire Show" radio program and a professor of eschatology at Pastor Jack Hayford's The Kings University. McGuire is the author of more than two dozen books and co-author of The Babylon Code: Solving the Bible's Greatest End Times Mystery (FaithWords). Follow him on Twitter (radiomcguire),Facebook (PaulMcGuireor online at paulmcguire.us.

Troy Anderson is the executive editor of Charisma and a Pulitzer Prize-nominated investigative journalist, author and speaker. He spent two decades as a reporter, bureau chief and editorial writer at the Los Angeles Daily News and other newspapers. He's also written for Reuters, Newsmax and Human Events. He's co-author of The Babylon Code: Solving the Bible's Greatest End Times Mystery (FaithWords). Follow him on Twitter (TroyMAnderson), Facebook (troyandersonwriter)or online at troyanderson.us.

Prophecy expert Paul McGuire explains the secret to "Mystery, Babylon" and why you should understand it at mcguire.charismamag.com.

Charisma Editor Troy Anderson and prophecy expert Paul McGuire crack the code of "Mystery, Babylon" to reveal a hidden end-time puzzle in their book, The Babylon Code: Solving the Bible's Greatest End Times Mystery (FaithWords). You can find this book wherever Christian books are sold or at amazon.com or christianbook.com.

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