Ours is not a spirit of fear!

As the world shakes and trembles, as evil continues to escalate, we shall remain strong.  For the Christian, ours is not to fear what is in or coming upon the world.  For God has given to us His power.

2 Timothy 1:7

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

We need to remember just who it is that we serve, and what He has done for us.  The Lord gives us strength and power to overcome and to perform His will.  We have been given authority over the evil ones.

Luke 10:19-20

“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. ²⁰ Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

God has given to us much more than His power to overcome.  The Lord is good, and all who believe in Him and place their trust in Him have been given “all” things which pertain to life and godliness.  We as Christians are partakers of His divine nature.  Let us give thanks to the Lord for our salvation and eternal life!

2 Peter 1:2-4

“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, ³ as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, ⁴ by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

Russia says has right to deploy nuclear weapons in Crimea: report

Russian army’s armoured vehicles are seen on a road in Kamensk-Shakhtinsky, Rostov region, near the border with Ukraine, August 23, 2014. REUTERS/Alexander Demianchuk

(Reuters) – Russia has the right to deploy nuclear arms in the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which Moscow annexed from Ukraine last year, a Foreign Ministry official said on Wednesday, adding he knew of no plans to do so.

“I don’t know if there are nuclear weapons there now. I don’t know about any plans, but in principle Russia can do it,” said Mikhail Ulyanov, the head of the ministry’s department on arms control, was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency.

(This version of the story was refiled to fix garble in line seven)

(Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin, Writing by Thomas Grove; Editing by Christian Lowe)

Jordan king: Palestinian peace deal needed to defeat IS

King Abdullah II of Jordan waits for a meeting with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill February 3, 2015, in Washington, DC. (photo credit:AFP /BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI)

Abdullah II tells EU parliament conflict gives jihadists ‘powerful rallying cry'; says Muslim nations must lead fight against extremism

(SOURCE)  King Abdullah II of Jordan warned Tuesday that an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal was essential for combating Islamic extremists, saying the conflict served as a rallying cry for jihadists.

Abdullah told the European Parliament that the battle against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria was “first and foremost” a fight for Muslim nations to carry out.

Jordan has stepped up its role in the US-led coalition against IS after the group burned to death a captured Jordanian military pilot in a grisly video released last month.

But Abdullah said the root problem was the world’s failure to “defend Palestinian rights.”

“This failure sends a dangerous message,” he said.

“And it has given the extremists a powerful rallying cry. They exploit the injustices and the lingering conflict, to build legitimacy and recruit foreign fighters across Europe and the world.”

He added: “How can we fight the ideological battle, if we do not chart the way forward towards Palestinian-Israeli peace?”

As a country that has made peace with Israel, Jordan has played a mediating role in the peace process.

Around 20,000 foreign fighters are believed to have left their homelands to join extremist groups in the past few years — including an estimated 4,000 since 2012 from western Europe.

Abdullah however said that Muslim countries had to lead the fight against IS and other extremists.

“This is a fight that has to be carried out by Muslim nations first and foremost. A fight within Islam,” he said.

Introducing the king to European lawmakers, Parliament President Martin Schulz offered his sympathies over the murder of the pilot.

“It’s hard to imagine people could commit such gruesome acts,” he said.

The Mark of the Beast

By: Gordon King

The middle of the Tribulation Period is marked by what is known as the “Great Tribulation Period” or the “Great Tribulation”.  This is the time that the anti-christ will tell those on the earth to make an image to the beast in the Holy place within the Jewish Temple to be worshiped by all, in which Jesus referred to the prophet Daniel who called it the “abomination of desolation”.  The bible tells us in Revelation 13:5 that the anti-christ will then have 42 months to continue.

Matthew 24:15-22

^{15 “}Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), ¹⁶ “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁷ Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. ¹⁸ And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. ¹⁹ But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! ²⁰ And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. ²¹ For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. ²² And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.”

Daniel 9:27

^{27 “}Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate.”

Revelation 13:14-15

^{14 “}And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. ¹⁵ He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.”

Those who will not worship the image of the beast shall be killed.  This image could be many things with the technology that we have today.  However, we must remember that the beast also has many powers.  He told those who are deceived to create an image of him, so it could possibly be a robot.  The beast then gives the “image” breath and causes it to speak, and to have many killed for not worshiping it.  Whatever you do, do not worship the beast!

Revelation 13:14-15

^{14 “}And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. ¹⁵ He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.”

The bible goes on to tell us that those whose names are not written in the “Lamb’s Book of Life”, will worship the beast.  He is out to make war against the saints of God.  The only way to not worship the beast is to become a follower of Jesus Christ!  For scripture tells us that “all” who dwell on the earth and are “not” written in the “Lamb’s Book of Life”, “will” worship the beast!

Revelation 13:7-8

^{7 “}It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. ⁸ All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

“The Mark”

At this time the anti-christ will cause “all” who worship him to receive a “Mark” on their right hand or forehead.  This is also referred to as “The Mark of the Beast”!

Revelation 16-17

^{16 “}He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, ¹⁷ and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”

Whatever happens, whatever you do or don’t do, do not take the mark!  Once you have taken the mark, then you will be damned forever! Don’t buy into the lies, the deception.  There will come a day when you will not be able to buy, sell, or trade without the mark.  You must be brave and courageous.  You must be saved!

……………..        

Many people have speculated on just what the mark of the beast will be.  Some think that it will be a tattoo, while others believe that it will be a microchip.  With all of the technology today, it’s easy to see this actually taking place.  Tattoos have been around for thousands of years, and with modern technology it would be very simple to mark millions of people very quickly.  On the other hand, microchips have been used for decades now.  Many products that we purchase have had them in their packaging, and animals have been implanted with them containing their identification and health records.  Over the past few years even humans have been implanted.  The trend is soon coming for humans to be routinely implanted with these chips for health records, finances, and identification.  The technology exists, it’s here, and it’s being used.

Revelation 14:9-11

^{9 “}Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, ¹⁰ he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. ¹¹ And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”

Those who take the mark of the beast and worship the beast, will reap the wrath of God.  He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone.  You will be condemning yourself to hell!  There is no turning back at this point, no second thoughts or change of heart.  You will have sealed your fate!

There is a way to be saved from the beast and his mark.  There is only one way, through the blood of Jesus Christ!  A person must be saved, be born again.  He must accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior!  Once saved you are sealed by the Holy Spirit of God Almighty!  You are His and His alone.  You can be killed physically, but no one can harm you spiritually.  You will live forever with God and have eternal life.  You will be changed forever, in the twinkling of an eye!

God Bless my friends!

Accept Jesus now and have eternal life!

Chicago police: Infant dead after throat cut with power saw

CHICAGO (AP) — A 9-month-old girl is dead after a relative cut her throat with a power saw, a Chicago police official with knowledge of the investigation said Monday.

 Officers found the child after being called Monday morning to a building on the city’s West Side.

The police official confirmed media reports that a 52-year-old relative used a circular saw to cut the baby’s throat, apparently because the girl wouldn’t stop crying. The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because an official autopsy had not been performed.

The official said the woman is in police custody at a hospital with self-inflicted wounds.

Police said both the baby and the woman were found by another relative.

Illinois Department of Children and Family Services officials said the agency had no prior contact with the family. Authorities said no other children were present in the home at the time of the incident.

Ben Llamas works with the child’s father and drove him to the scene. Llamas told the Chicago Tribune the father was upset but did not talk about what happened.

His friend had moved in to that house about a year ago with a woman, Llamas said. Together the couple had a young child.

“At first, he was reluctant, but when the baby came, he fell in love,” Llamas said. “He shows us pictures of that baby every day.”

Neighbors said several people live in the home where the baby was found.

“They were really good people,” Francisco Arreola told the Chicago Tribune in Spanish. “I would always see them and they were very happy. I never heard them fight or anything.”

Myanmar police beat students, journalists, monks, detain about 100

Police hit a student protester during violence in Letpadan March 10, 2015. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun

By Soe Zeya Tun

LETPADAN, Myanmar (Reuters) – – Myanmar police beat students, monks and journalists with batons and detained about 100 people on Tuesday as they broke up protesters calling for academic freedom who had been locked in a standoff with security forces for more than a week, a Reuters witness said.

About 200 students and supporters have been protesting against an education bill they say stifles academic independence. They had planned to walk from the central city of Mandalay to the commercial hub of Yangon, but were blocked by police in Letpadan, about 140 km (90 miles) to the north of Yangon.

Police, who also traded slingshot fire with protesters, had said they would allow the students to continue their march on Tuesday, but that agreement fell apart.

Yangon is the site of numerous student-led demonstrations, including those in 1988 that sparked a pro-democracy movement that spread throughout the country before being brutally suppressed by the military government.

A semi-civilian reformist government took power in 2011 after 49 years of military rule and its response to the current protests has been more muted.

The witness saw about 100 protesters locked in two police trucks, while others fled the town and some were chased into a Buddhist temple.

The Delegation of the European Union, which has been training the police in crowd management, condemned the crackdown, saying in a statement that it “deeply regrets the use of force against peaceful demonstrators”.

The Interim Myanmar Press Council said it was filing a complaint, protesting “in the strongest terms against the arrest of reporters” and calling for their release, without saying how many journalists were detained.

Police and government spokesmen were not available for comment. The Information Ministry posted photos on its Facebook page showing student protesters tearing down police barricades and noted that the protesters removed them “with force”.

Student leaders rejected the suggestion that they had instigated the violence.

“It hurts my heart whenever they do this to us students, but for sure we will never use violence,” said Lin Htet Naing of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions.

Lin Htet Naing’s wife, a former political prisoner of the previous military regime, was among those arrested in Letpadan while he led a brief protest in Yangon on Tuesday.

About 100 protesters were met in the street in Yangon by a larger number of police who grabbed one protester and beat him. Police said they would release him if the protesters dispersed, which they did.

(Writing by Jared Ferrie; Additional reporting by Aung Hla Tun, Minzayar Oo and Jared Ferrie in YANGON; Editing by Nick Macfie)

US ‘counts’ on Israel to be committed to 2-state solution

US State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki (photo credit: AFP/Paul J. Richards)

After confusing Netanyahu remarks on viability of a future Palestine, State Department says hardline comments may be electioneering, best to ‘wait and see’

(SOURCE)  The US government said it remains committed to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and expects to have Israeli and Palestinian partners who are committed to that goal as well.

A day after a confusing back and forth in which the Prime Minister’s Office denied that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had backed away from his support in principle for a two-state solution and that he had ruled out ceding any territory to the Palestinians, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said US “commitment to achieving an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a two-state negotiated solution remains strong” and that the US “count[s] on having Israeli and Palestinian partners who are also committed to that goal.”

Pushed on a response to remarks attributed to Netanyahu which seemed to indicate that the creation of a Palestinian state would not be viable in the current Mideast climate, Psaki said: “A lot of things are said during election campaigns. We’ll wait to see the policies of the next Israeli government.”

Psaki refused to comment on the publication in Yedioth Ahronoth last week of a document purportedly drafted by Israeli officials outlining the PM’s alleged concessions to the Palestinians alluded to in Gal-on’s statement.

According to the document, Netanyahu agreed to negotiate a peace deal on the basis of the 1967 borders, with land swaps; to acknowledge Palestinian aspirations in East Jerusalem; to evacuate settlers from the West Bank; and to allow those who so choose to remain under Palestinian rule.

“I’m not going to weigh in on internal Israeli politics,” Psaki said.

On Sunday, Netanyahu had been quoted saying that the creation of a Palestinian state, a move that he supported in a famous speech at Bar-Ilan University in 2009, was no longer relevant in the current reality in the Middle East, and that there would be no territorial withdrawals.

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that any evacuated territory would fall into the hands of Islamic extremism and terror organizations supported by Iran. Therefore, there will be no concessions and no withdrawals. It is simply irrelevant,” read a statement released by his Likud party.

However, the Prime Minister’s Office insisted later Sunday that he had “never said any such thing.”

The confusion underlined Netanyahu’s efforts to maintain backing on the right without alienating other potential supporters and the international community ahead of the March 17 elections.

The back and forth statements came after the “Olam Kattan” newsletter, distributed in synagogues on Friday nights, published a Q&A with the Likud and other parties in which one Likud response claimed the policies expressed by Netanyahu in his Bar-Ilan speech “have been annulled.”

“Netanyahu’s entire political biography is the struggle against the establishment of the Palestinian state,” the response said. Haaretz reported that Likud MK Tzipi Hotovely, a proponent of annexing the West Bank, had drafted this answer.

The Likud campaign clarified on Sunday that “Netanyahu did not make any statement to the effect that the Bar Ilan speech was annulled.” With that, both the Likud and the Prime Minister’s Office noted that Netanyahu had long maintained that “under current conditions in the Middle East any land that is handed over would be grabbed by Islamist extremists.”