Sound The Midnight Cry

“We Are One In What Spirit?”

On Saturday, May 13th of this year, a meeting that has “end-times” written all over it took place in Athens, Greece. The Vatican and the world’s largest alliance of Christian churches are seeking a “Common Code of Conduct” for conversions, in which non-Christian religions will have a say.

Following those talks, the World Council of Churches and Vatican representatives announced they would open contacts with Islam and other faiths “to study ways to avoid conflicts.” The two groups continued negotiations with Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims near Rome as part of a four-day conference to sketch out an eventual “Code of Conduct” on Christian conversions, officials said.

All of this has come about as religious freedom and missionary outreach by Christian groups have become “increasingly sensitive topics.” Many Muslims perceive their faith as under threat by the West and nations such as China struggle to maintain state controls on churches, organizers explained.

“How can we – anxious to maintain, develop and nurture good relations with people of other faiths – deal with this highly complex issue that sometimes threatens the fiber of living together?” added Rev. Hans Ucko, head of the Interreligious Relations Office for the WCC in published remarks.

Talks in Rome were held as in India on Saturday, May 13, thousands of Christians, including former Hindu-orphans, concluded their night of prayers and fasting against attacks against them by Hindu militants, who are fighting the spread of Christianity.

Especially active ‘Evangelical’ Christians across all denominations have been singled out for attacks by Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist militants opposing Christian conversions in several countries of the world. But Evangelicals says Jesus Christ specifically ordered His Church to spread the Gospel into all nations and that persecution was to be expected.

The book of Revelation tells us that in the last days a false church shall arise that lends its power to the anti-Christ. This meeting is part of the staging to unify people of all faiths under one banner. With all that is happening in world politics, the spiritual side of the last day deception is getting ready to carry out its part. Get ready, Jesus is coming soon!

“Nothing Up My Sleeve…”

The famous phrase of any magician is, “As you can see, there is nothing up my sleeve.” Whenever you hear that phrase you know they are about to do something like pull a rabbit out their hat. The key is when you are looking one direction you don’t see what they are really doing. It’s called “slight of hand” or “misdirection.”

Well, that is exactly what Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad did the other day at the United Nations assembly. He took a page from the magician’s handbook before taking the podium to address the assembly. He “routined” the show and did it flawlessly. Routining your show [as magicians call it] is the act of “organizing a number of tricks so that the act flows smoothly and elicits the proper reactions.” The handbook goes on and says, “The first step in routining your show is to choose a number of effects that 1) you perform very well, 2) you are comfortable performing and 3) fit your stage personality.”

While President Ahmadinejad wowed the large Islamic core of U.N. delegates and condemned the leaders of the free world in their attempt to keep his nation from developing "peaceful" nuclear power, he slipped into the speech two small paragraphs showing his hand. As the world news outlets hung on every word looking for the direction Iran would take concerning their quest for nuclear power, they missed the “real” message.

“I emphatically declare that today’s world, more than ever before, longs for just and righteous people with love for all humanity; and above all longs for the perfect righteous human being and the real savior who has been promised to all peoples and who will establish justice, peace and brotherhood on the planet. 0, Almighty God, all men and women are Your creatures and You have ordained their guidance and salvation. Bestow upon humanity that thirsts for justice, the perfect human being promised to all by You, and make us among his followers and among those who strive for his return and his cause.” From Ahmadinejad's U.N. speech 9/19/2006

I’ve referenced several times President Ahmadinejad’s belief that he has been placed on the earth to create enough chaos that it will force the coming of the 12th Imam (the Mahdi – the Muslim messiah) out of hiding, who will become the Savior of the world. This fits with Ahmadinejad’s desire for an international Islamic-dominated government.

So when you hear Iran’s leader say that they want nuclear power for peaceful purposes, look closely and you will see his true intent. There may be “nothing up his sleeve”, but it is what’s up the other sleeve that you wonder about. “What is it?” you ask. To wipe Israel off the face of the earth! [Jerusalem Post – August 24, 2006] "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem." – Psalm 122:6

“A Duck By Any Other Name”

I’ve listened this past week as different news pundits banter around the phrase “Islamo-Facist”. All of this came about by George W. Bush's speech at the National Endowment for Democracy. I quote: “Some call this evil Islamic radicalism; others, militant Jihadism; still others, Islamo-fascism. Whatever it's called, this ideology is very different from the religion of Islam.”

Now I thank God for our president and pray for him often. However, this is one area that he is totally wrong. To say, “this ideology is very different from the religion of Islam” is nothing more than political posturing. How can I say this? Because of what the Koran teaches.

I listened with interest the other day as a caller to Rush Limbaugh [I listen only occasionally] tried to persuade him into believing that Islam is a religion of peace. Those that were doing these terrible things are only a few that have become misled. It all sounds good, but it’s not true.

The problem comes with “defining” Islam and the different aspects of it. Anyone that has spoken with a member of Jehovah’s Witness or the Mormon Church understands this problem. They use much of the same terminology as Christians: Jesus, Michael the Archangel, heaven, redemption. The problem is simple: the definition is different. Your heaven and their heaven are completely different. And that’s where the problem lies.

Islam is not just a religion. It is a culture, politics, a state—Islam is everything. Westerners must recognize that the Islamic war against the West and Israel is not a traditional war of soldiers against soldiers. It's a war against anyone who does not believe in Islamic values. Everyone is fair game to an Islamist.

Many Muslims will say, “Don't include me with those radicals.” The problem is they also say they believe in the Koran as the holy word of their god, Allah. And according to their prophet Mohammed, Allah says you are not a good Muslim unless you kill all infidels who will not convert. Every time a Muslim is arrested for a suspected terrorist activity, the Islamic community says they are being unfairly singled out because they are Muslim — that they are doing nothing wrong. And part of their defense is true: According to their beliefs, plotting to kill infidels falls into the category of “doing nothing wrong.”

None of this should surprise the follower of Jesus Christ. 3,700 years ago, Genesis 16:11-12 foretold about the descendants of Ishmael, who comprise most of today's Islamists. God’s Word is being fulfilled in these last days.

So when someone tries to tell you that Islam is a religion of peace, just remember, “A duck by any other name…is still a duck.”

“I See Tommy, I See Susie, I See…”

When I was a kid, one of the most watched children’s shows on T.V. was Romper Room. Each show ended with the hostess gazing into the “magic mirror” [it was a frame of a handheld mirror] and she would say, “I see Mary and Hank and William and Virginia and Hannah and all of you boys and girls out there!” When she would call out, “I see Bobby…” I always wondered how she knew I was watching! I know…how silly it all seems now.

The focus of the world at the present is on Iran and the rest of the Middle East. With all the confusion and political slight of hand going on in the world today it is easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. However, if we look through our “bible mirror” we can see another player setting themselves into position…Russia!

Russia continues to press for what it calls a “diplomatic” solution to the Iranian issue, all the while it is supplying arms, missile engineering, and nuclear technology to Iran. Russia also is selling arms to Iran and Syria which were also used by Hezbollah in its recent war with Israel.

Ariel Cohen, a Russian analyst with the Heritage Foundation recently stated how “Russia is interested in high oil prices [they recently became the #1 oil producer in the world]. Therefore, Russia is interested in an aggressive Iran in the Middle East”as it strengthens their position.

Russia and Venezuela are signing a series of agreements to strengthen Russia’s military and energy ties in South America. Venezuela announced that his country will be building a weapons plant under the license of Russia. They also agreed to make Russia their number one arms supplier with a $3 billion-plus deal to purchase fighter jets and helicopters. In return, Russia will help in creating a natural gas and oil cartel with Venezuela.

Meanwhile, an international force of so-called “peacekeepers” in Lebanon is to include some 2,000 Russian troops, according to reports in The Moscow Times. Add to this Russia's plans for a major military base just a few miles away in Syria to house its Black Sea fleet.

On the outside it appears that Russia wants peace in the world. However, Russia is fast moving toward fulfillment of the Ezekiel 38 prophecy that it will lead Iran and other Islamic nations to war with Israel.

So as I look into my “bible mirror” I see Jesus coming! Are you ready?

The U.N.’s Definition Of “Peacekeeping”

As absurd as it sounds, it was exposed this week how the United Nations helped to “keep the peace” in the recent Israel/Lebanon war. The U.N. with its “mandate” for a ceasefire has been caught red handed assisting the terrorist organization Hezbollah in its war against Israel. Weekly Standard columnist Lori Lowenthal Marcus reports that the United Nations “openly published daily real-time intelligence, of obvious usefulness to Hezbollah, on the location, equipment, and force structure of Israeli troops in Lebanon.”

The UNIFIL peace-keeping contingent stationed in Lebanon since 1978 posted on its website sensitive and strategic Israeli Defense Force information during the Hezbollah war. UNIFIL posted precise information about the movements of Israeli Defense Forces soldiers and the nature of their weaponry and materiel, even specifying the placement of IDF safety structures within hours of their construction. Some of that information was sometimes only 30 minutes old.

Now the U.N. is demanding that Israel not hold Lebanon to their part of the “peace agreement” [U.N. resolution 1701] but Israel should continue to uphold their end of the settlement. To make it worse [as if it could get worse] they are insisting that Israel let the 15,000 member peacekeeping force to be partly comprised of soldiers from Islamic nations. “What’s the problem” you say?

• Never mind that the Islamic world doesn’t accept Israel’s right to exist.
• Overlook the fact that they would be working in an Islamic nation against its “sworn enemy.”
• Pay no attention to the fact that Iran and Syria continue to pour weapons and money into Lebanon to fund Hezbollah [in violation of resolution 1701].
• Just ignore that the PM of Lebanon said this week that he refused to have any direct contact with Israel and Lebanon would be the last Arab country to ever sign a peace deal with the Jewish State.

Jeremiah 8:15 says, “We looked for peace and no good came; and for a time of health, and behold, trouble.” I would contend that we should continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem [Psalm 122:6]. With this kind of peacekeeping, it’s only a matter of time until war resumes.