Escapism vs. Reality - Where Do You Stand?

Recently an article came across my desk that really disturbed me.
To be honest I have tried to push it off multiple times, but it just kept haunting me. The fire in my bones will not let me leave it be.
In this article the author talks about moral decay, the economy, and even makes the statement that "Total and worldwide financial disaster is inevitable."
"Nature - The world can't take much more of this punishment."
"War - The hate cannot be held back any longer."
"Immorality – The restraining force on immorality has all but fled, mostly leaving us to our own self-destructive tendencies."
You know what? I agree with this, but what I cannot agree with is what is to come.
His solution, "The Hopeful Escape" and I guess it is with his lack luster do nothing attitude that caused the fires to burn in my bones.
Here is what the author said..

"Despite the soon break of the gathering storm, and despite the hopelessness about the future that it brings, believers in Christ can know that it is not our future. Our future plays out in the polar opposite. Instead of living in a world gone mad, we foresee a new home in Heaven. Instead of persecution by a crushing tyrant, we face a loving and benevolent King. Instead of living under wrath, we see living under love. And, where there is only hopelessness left on earth, there is hope, peace and joy awaiting us (Rev. 21-22).

The change on our horizon is bright, for the King of Kings is coming to take those who are saved up to live in Heaven with Him forever and ever."

What is troubling is that more and more ministries are taking on an attitude of  "Why should I worry about the evil in the world, I am going to be raptured away."
Folks, you all know that I stand on an imminent return, but it seems that so many who profess a Doctrine of Immanency have pushed it to the side and turned the rapture into a form of escapism instead of something that goads us into action.
We as students of bible prophecy KNOW what we are to expect. We KNOW that there will be hard times ahead, we KNOW that persecution takes place, we KNOW that tyrants abound and many have and will pay the ultimate price in standing for Christ.
I mean are we to expect a wonderful happy world one day and the next when the rapture takes place all of a sudden things are really bad?
The laws of nature, God's law, dictates that things progress from good to bad and from bad to worse. That is because sin is prevalent in the world and is our sin nature. So prior to the tribulation it should be no surprise that things will get worse.
Where did this whole "escape" come from?
Scripture tells us …

Titus 2:11-14  For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

13  Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

14  Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

I see "looking for the blessed hope" but where is our "zealous good works" for the kingdom?
Have we become a "peculiar people"?
In this God's Word is describing a people who make a difference to the point that they stand out in a crowd.
Problem is that we have become lax and now ministries are giving the people what they want, some 'what me worry" excuse and condoning the church to just sit around and do nothing.
Nowhere in scripture are we guaranteed some easy rosy life.
Christ Himself stated the following…

Luke 9:23-27  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

24  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

More and more I am seeing sound ministries trying to sugar coat the real world and what is taking place in it.
Paul told us that perilous times shall come.
Well folks, I am here to say that they are right here, right now in 3D Technicolor staring us right in the face.
Tell me if the following things are not here…

2 Timothy 3:1-5  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Now let me say that I am more than ready for Christ to return, believe me. This world sickens me and I truly understand when the bible uses the word "vexed".
All that Paul wrote to Timothy in chapter 3 is right in our face and in some cases being shoved down our throats.
So yea, I am ready to go home.
But as I have said, I am deeply troubled by the whole "God is not going to let us go through the tough times" idea that is being perpetuated out there.
In fact this whole idea is anti-biblical.
Romans 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Paul himself tells us as Christians we are sheep for the slaughter.
Peter, writing to the Christians who were being martyred he wrote the following…

1 Peter 1:6  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

9  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

Even today, we read of Pastor Yocef Nadarhani in Iran being the latest Christian who will most likely be martyred for his faith in Jesus Christ.
But here is the thing that really troubled me…

"The change on our horizon is bright, for the King of Kings is coming to take those who are saved up to live in Heaven with Him for ever and ever (Jn. 14:1-14; 1 Cor. 15:51-58; 1 Thes. 4:13-18). It will be an event called the Rapture, and it is coming sooner than we think. In fact, it could be argued that it has the potential to happen this very week due to the prophetic significance of the Feasts of Israel.

The Feast of Trumpets occurs on September 29-30, 2011. Will it herald the "last trumpet?" Only God knows for sure. The Rapture is an imminent event, and so we don't know the exact day or hour it will finally occur. I can only speculate that with the rise of major world events tied to the prophetic significance of the Feast of Trumpets, that this week is one I'm keeping a very close eye on."

Folks, I am not disregarding the rapture, no not at all. What bothers me is that instead of using this valuable time to make a difference and share the gospel; more and more ministries are adopting some Kumbayah, let's sit in the lotus position and contemplate our navels attitude.
It has gotten to the point where we think we are doing some great work for the Lord by just holding on the little scrape of battle ground, and maintaining the status quo. While all along we run around and pat each other on the back for such a great job we are doing in behalf of God.
Rubbish!
We are losing the battle while the majority of the church is sitting on their rears doing nothing and using the rapture as their excuse to do so.
What should we be doing?
Christ, speaking to Peter about the coming church stated..

Matthew 16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

We as Christ's Church are called to charge the gates of hell, and they cannot prevail against us.
Instead what are we doing? We sit around and wait for the rapture to come like some limp noodle.
If we TRULY believe in the Doctrine of Immanency we would be out sharing the gospel with every creature as Christ commanded us to do.
If we TRULY believed in the doctrine of immanency  we would not waste a moment to make sure that we have spoken to our loved ones, our friends, our co-workers about their eternal souls that will burn in hell if they do not come to the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
We should be on our knees praying for all those people fervently, knowing that they will be eternally separated from God the Father as well as separated from us.
Friends, the torment, pain, suffering will be unimaginable and yet this is what we are allowing those we know be condemed to; all because we don't want to offend or call people sinners.
Christ Himself painted a small picture for us to give us just a glimpse into hell…

Luke 16:22  And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

23  And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

24  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

Do you want your friends, family, co-workers, heck even your worst enemy to face this and worse for all of eternity?
This is what they will face if we are not out sharing the gospel in some way.
The Doctrine of Immanency is what lights that fire under us. It instills in us the reason to live a holy and acceptable life unto Him knowing that He can return at a moment's notice and without warning.
But what is more troubling is the selling of false hope to the point where it is becoming common place.
Look at the statement that the author made.

" The Feast of Trumpets occurs on September 29-30, 2011. Will it herald the "last trumpet?" Only God knows for sure."

I remember years ago one would never breach this topic and throw out some speculative date. Yet it is becoming more and more common place today.
It seems that we have run from crystal ball to crystal ball. We forget that truly only the Father in Heaven knows.
What right do we have to toss out some date just because it is the feast of trumpets? To be honest it happens every year and every year Rosh Hashanah comes and goes.
It was funny while I was at a conference a well known bible prophecy teacher came down on this and in jest said that if he was God he would return the day after Rosh Hashanah.
He then asked how many Christians would be ready for that?
He stated "not many" and I agree with him.
Because we no longer respect or revere the Doctrine of Immanency, and because we no longer have respect for the Doctrine of Immanency we now make the rapture some elitist escape ideal instead of something to spur us on in charging the gates of hell, being the salt and light of the world.
To attest to this fact just look around you, apostasy runs rampant, more missionaries coming home than going out, hedonism, perversion and the list goes on.
Why?
Because we have not occupied till He returns.
I do not see the times of the Gentiles being fulfilled. In other words we have not fulfilled what we need to do as the church, that being to share the gospel.
Do you realize that millions upon millions of people do not have the knowledge of the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ?
The Joshua Project shows that 6,889 individual people groups or 2.83 billion unreached people who have no knowledge of God, the Bible or His Son Jesus Christ. (1)
To put that in perspective the world's population is currently estimated to be 6.97 billion by the United States Census Bureau as of July 1, 2011.
That means that 2.83 billion people or approximately 1/3 of the world who has no knowledge of the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Let me remind you what Christ commanded…

Matthew 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Mark 16:15  And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Now when Christ said "nations" this is not referring to countries with boarders. He is speaking of people groups.
Do you know that 2,848 people groups in the world have neither Scripture portions (God's written word) or audio recordings (God's spoken word) available in their primary language?(1)
Scripture says…

Romans 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

6889 people groups (nations) have no idea who Jesus Christ is.
How can they when they don't even have God's word in their own language?
They are not going to learn of God's blood atonement through the stars, the trees or some other all inclusive mumbo jumbo that is floating around out there either.
It is only by God's Word and His Word alone that illuminates the path of salvation. That is a fact because  God's Word states it as so.
So what does this boil down to? It means that not "all the world" has been evangelized for Christ and that we have not gone to "all nations."
Hal Lindsey stated at the Understanding the Times conference back in 2005  that "when the last gentile hears the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, well strap on your rocket packs because we are going home."
Well, to be honest, we have not fulfilled the time of the gentiles with approximately 1/3 of the earth having absolutely no knowledge of God, His Word or His Son.
Folks, God does not lie nor does he change His mind. He has given us the criteria that is needed. What has happened is that we have twisted and contorted His Word to fit our ideas of the way it should be. In other words, we have fallen  short.
We no longer occupy till He returns (Luke 19:13) nor are we ALWAYS ready to share the hope that is within us (1 Peter 3:15).
We are just sitting on our laurels waiting for the rapture to come along and sweep us away.
Folks, I know that this is rocking a lot of people's boats and I will probably lose readers over this, but we must look at God's Word and stop cherry picking what we want to believe in.
Hard times are coming, that is a fact.
Now we can sit around singing Kumbayah like the grasshopper did with the ants. OR we can start getting ready to weather these hard times so that we are better positioned to share the hope/Gospel that is within us.
Out of hard times the one thing that people are open to is hope, but how can we share the hope if we ourselves are standing in some soup kitchen line or begging on some street corner?
We have got to get away from this escapist idea and face up to the fact that we have made our beds and now we have the consequences to face.
We can wish and believe all we want, but God does not lie. He is not going to rapture out a church that has not finished its job.
Let me remind you also that He is not going to rapture us out just because the US is facing a time of hardship either. This is an elitist idea that some ministries are also gravitating to as well.
It is not our place to be throwing out dates, giving out false hopes, outlandish speculations or sugar coating the truth.
We are here to boldly proclaim the gospel and to let the world know that there are consequences in not accepting Christ as your personal savior. Those consequences are eternal damnation to Hell by a Just and Righteous God.
But the sad thing is that so many ministries out there are promoting this "happy happy joy joy" escapist attitude and so many more are buying into it.
Out of this, who will be the first to be blamed?
It sure won't be those ministries selling the candy coated ideas.
People will blame God because He was suppose to whisk them all away but He didn't and now they (the people who listened to the candy coated ministers) are feeling hardship in their lives.
I pray that people wake up while there is still time to do as Noah did and build an ark for their families.
The storm is coming, but like Noah and his family, we will have to weather the storm.
Now just to make it clear, In this I am not saying that we are in the tribulation. That is a whole different topic for an article at another time and besides we are all still here.
History repeats itself. Empires rise and empires fall, hard times come and go, there is a season for all things. Solomon clearly illustrated that.
So knowing that a season of hard times are coming. And knowing this you still have not built an ark for you and your family, let me ask, "how long can you tread water?"
But more importantly how effective for the Lord will you be when hardship takes place?


By Ray Gano


Endnotes
1 - http://www.joshuaproject.net/great-commission-statistics.php

---

Earthquakes / Hurricanes - What Will Hit in Your Area?

Are you prepared for natural and possibly even man made disasters?

What is the best food storage system that is truly affordable? Page 87

Not much money? What is the best "getting started" handgun one can purchase? Page 93

Do you know what it means to be a "Grey Man" and then become one? Page 128

The dollar has died, the "new normal" is here. Do you know what to expect? page 171

Do you know that one of the most common house plants in the nation is also completely eddible? Page 199

In this book the author, Ray Gano, takes examples from history as well as from a Christian biblical standpoint showing what you can do to prepare. Is your family prepared to Survive The Coming Storm?

If you live in the US, ($20.00) please use the following link

http://tinyurl.com/STCS-US-ORDER
If you live outside the US, ($25.00) please use the following link

http://tinyurl.com/STCS-NON-US-ORDERS

If you wish to pay by check, let me know so I can hold it for you. For those of you who wish to do that, here is our mailing address...

PROPHEZINE
PMB #230
651 S. Walnut Ave. Ste. D
New Braunfels, TX 78130-5764

Please make checks to PROPHEZINE.

Pray that God uses this book for His glory and that it will really do well and make the best seller list.

A Christian Warriors Greatest Asset

 I am going to write on something a little different.
In fact, today I am really addressing my article to all the godly men out there reading this at this moment.
Now ladies, I encourage you to read this as well, but a lot of what I am saying here is addressed to the husbands /fathers / providers. We are the protectors of our family and we should be standing at the ready to intercede and protect.
We are Christian Warriors.
As many of you know I am a "prepper" / surivivalist. One thing that I try to always teach is to maintain readiness.
Example, always have at least a 1/2 tank of gas in the car at all times. A full tank is better, but that is hard to do. Always have extra food, meds, supplies, everyday needs, etc on hand. This way you are not caught off guard and come up wanting.
The Boy Scouts said it best with their motto : Be Prepared
We need to be prepared because we do not know what tomorrow brings. But there is a lot more involved in being prepared besides having some extra food and supplies on hand.
We need to be spiritually prepared as well.
Imagine if you will our Christian walk equating to that of little energizer bunnies. We run around all day long, sometimes for weeks at a time on a charge. We keep going and going and going and going.
Sooner or later we need to recharge our batteries.
We find that we are losing our patients a little more often, mentally sluggish, mentally tired, hard to focus, lacking love, compassion, not enough kisses and hugs to the wife, etc, etc, etc.
We are like this because our spiritual batteries are low.
When our spiritual batteries are low, well that rolls down hill to our families and their spiritual batteries get low as well.
Soon everyone is like the energizer bunny running out of battery power.
We Need A Recharge
See we as leaders, as long as we are doing the right thing, living a right life, having the right fellowship with our Lord, that trickles down to our family and they are then able to charge their batteries off of us because we have been doing the right thing and in tune with the Lord.
So how do we charge our batteries?
By spending time with Him.
We do this in prayer (us talking to Him) reading His Word (God talking to us) and if we are able, fellowship with others who are like minded.
When our batteries are fully charged, God's power and love works through us and in that we influence and effect the world around us.

The problem is that we don't spend enough time with God, so many of us are running around on a half charge. Since we are half charged, our family is also half charged.
Now, if ever we are called upon to do battle be it spiritual or physical, we will want to have the full charge. It will make the difference...believe me it will.
What we need to remember is that we do not know when the battles will come, almost always we will be ambushed. That is the favorite tactic of the enemy as well as the thug on the street.
What separates the Christian Warrior from the common ghetto thug is accountability to God. Not "a god" but "The God", Jehovah.
Our strength, determination and fighting spirit derives from Him and His power working through us.  We are able to stand against quite a bit, but we don't do it in our own power, it is through the Power of God working through our lives.

Being prepared in the physical is important, but often we neglect the spiritual. We run our batteries down and then when the enemy hits us with both barrels, we buckle under the barrage of fire that the enemy shoots in our direction.
Men, Husbands, Fathers, I am talking to you. We are Christian Warriors. We know that we are facing perilous times. We clearly see that right is being made wrong, and is wrong is being made right.

In Ephesians 6:13 it tells us...
"Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. "
We need to be wearing His armor daily so that we can train daily and get used to the extra weight it entails.
Time To Train
I am one who takes combative training. Why? Because I want to be able to stand and protect my family if and when the need arises.
I am involved with a group of people here in Texas and we often will meet on a Saturday and conduct what is called "Force on Force" training. What I really like is that a lot of this training is free and we get together to test out different tactics and really see if they work out or not.
In fact here is some brief info…
Central Texas Combatives Training Group: Source - http://www.combativestraininggroup.com
Often when we get together we will role play a scenario, most likely the Walmart parking lot and some bad guy is coming at you.
He may pull a knife, he may pull a gun, he may walk by you and do nothing.
But he also may walk by you and then turn around and ambush you.
Don't think this happens? It happens every day, in fact more often than people realize.
Now why am I going into this sort of detail and what does this have to do with prayer?
We train in the physical world honing our skills, why are we not training the spiritual?

The Mall Ninja
Let's look at a mall ninja. This is the guy who has all the cool gear and stuff. He never takes the time to train with all that cool gear, but he has it.
What chances will the "Mall Ninja" have against the thug in the parking lot intent on attacking him?
Pretty much zero chances to win.
Just because you may have a lot of cool gear, and until you wipe the dust off it and actually train with it, it will not amount to a hill of beans what you have.
When the battle comes to you, and it will, you will most likely fold under the attack.
Why? Because you do not train with the tools / gear that you own.
The same goes in the spiritual. Prayer is probably the greatest tool that we have at our disposal. It is prayer that will help keep our spiritual batteries charged.
In fact prayer is part of what strengthens the armor of God.
See, I get a laugh when I hear people talk about putting on and off the armor of God.
"Oh, just put on the armor of God and you will be ok Joe."
" The armor of God will protect you Bob, just put it on."
Folks, this is "Mall Ninja" talk.
See you do not put on and take off the armor of God as if it is some suit or something. If you are a born again, washed in the blood Christian, you wear it all the time 24 / 7 / 365.
The difference is the strength of the armor with which we wear.
Big Boys Playing With Swords
Here is a little story that some of you may have heard before.
Back in my college days I used to be involved with group that is called the SCA, also known as the Society For Creative Anachronism.
Those involved would role play as if they were living in the King Arthur days. They would wear armor of all sorts and go bash each other over the head with ratan swords. What is interesting is that today it is actually seen as a form of martial art.
Well, I was one of those guys who enjoyed beating each other senseless. Now to be honest I was getting beaten on more than I was beating on others.
At one of these events I happened upon one of the well known "knights" and struck up a conversation. One thing led to another and he let me hang out with him for the weekend, kind of being his "squire." See in these circles this was seen as pretty cool, specially if your knight was well known. Mine, he was well known.
See this guy was really into the SCA thing, he owned a complete set of full plate armor. In fact he built it himself and was actually world renown for his ancient armor work. Rumor had it that he has even worked on some of the armor that is in the tower of London. Yep, he was that good.
Well, I got a chance to try on his armor. It was about 50-60 lbs of steel wrapped all over my body from head to toe. Wow… it was pretty cool.
Now here is what was interesting. Here I am in this armor and he comes over and barely pushes me with his index finger.
I just about fell over backwards because I was not used to wearing so much weight let alone know how to fight in it. He laughed and kept me from falling over backwards.
In that short moment he taught me a very valuable lesson that still sticks with me today.
What I learned was that it was different for him because when he was out on the "battle field" he was running and jumping and hitting people with his sword, bashing people with his shield, going full bore. He was also often the winner of the tournaments and have been made "king" of the local SCA group several times. This is a very high position in the SCA and it also meant that you were a true warrior.
So why could he run around in this armor and I barely was able to stand?
Several things.
1 - He literally wore his armor everyday in one form or another, so it became a part of him.
2 - Because he and his armor were one, this "trained" his body. This in turn conditioned him and he was always ready for the fight.
See, the armor of God is the same way. It is not something that you just don't "throw on" and then think you are going to go out and do battle.
You need to train and live in the armor at all times.
Why? So when that evil day comes, you have done all that you can to train...and having done all, then stand and fight.

I say all this because prayer is critical along with spending time in His Word.
See prayer and spending time in His Word is what gives the armor of God its strength. It is what helps charge our spiritual batteries.
So knowing that we are wearing the armor daily, if we do not strengthen it, when that day comes to do battle, we and the armor will fail.
The armor will not protect us as much as it should have if our "spiritual batteries" were charged up as much as they should be.
Another point that I want to make is that we to also be in fellowship with other Christian warriors who love the Lord. This too is what helps keep our spiritual batteries charged to the fullest. This is because we then become accountable not only to God, but to other warriors.

Many of you know that we are living in the last days of the last days. We are sitting upon the razor's edge. Now more than ever we need to keep the batteries charged at full, the powder dry and ready for the fight.

We do not know when we will be called upon to fight, but when we do, we want to be completely ready, and not be that "mall ninja" who has all the cool guy stuff, but never trains. He will lose the battle and become a casualty of the battlefield.
The enemy, when he comes, he will most likely ambush us. So when the fight comes to us, and it will, there will be no time to "put on" the armor. By that time it will be to late. If we do not have the armor on at the time of the ambush, we will become just another casualty of war.
So I challenge you husbands, fathers out there to always be ready for the fight. The fight will come to you. What you need to ensure is that when that evil day comes, having done all, to stand.
I want to leave you with some scripture out of His Word...

Psalms 144:1 Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight.

Joel 3:9-10  Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: 10  Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.

2 Timothy 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Finally, if you live in the Central Texas area and want to learn more about Central Texas Combatives Training Group, please feel free to contact me or go to their forum at….

http://www.combativestraininggroup.com

Age, sex, size, nor physical fitness shape matters. We have all sorts from all walks of life. We have had Sr. warriors in their 70's to warriors who have been sitting on the couch for too many years. Let's just say that it's hard to fit in the armor still, if you get my drift.

I welcome you to come train with us and in fact it is my desire to start holding training here at the Gano homestead.

You will have a lot of fun and will also learn your vulnerabilities. You will probably walk away with some bruise and welts from the air soft pistols too, but it isn't that bad.

The goal is to better ourselves so that we may be better to serve those around us.


In His Service,

Ray Gano
Husband, Father, Christian Warrior

2012 & The Fourth Turning Point

Welcome to the new year, the year of our Lord 2012!

It has been approximately 2012 years since the birth of Christ.

Last year was a hard year for Tracye and I. A lot of personal upheaval, hardships, seemed like one major hurtle after another.

But this year I feel like things are going to take a swing for the better.

Although when you look out from standing on the wall, it appears that the gates of hell have been cast open.

If you are one who believes all that Mayan 2012 stuff, well I can see why you have a "bummer" of an outlook.

As many of you now, I often tell people that I am not some prophet or anything like that. What I believe my task God put me on this earth for is to be a watchman on the wall.

If anyone has seen any of those great medieval battle movies, you always have the soldiers / archers standing upon the wall waiting for the bad guys attack the enemy coming from far off.

Now the interesting thing is that they see what is coming and report on what they see, they also help in defending the wall preventing the enemy from gaining access to the city.

Another point is that those down in the city can NOT see what they see, so it is up to those residents to decide will they believe what the watchman says and take heed, or will they ignore it.

Fast forward to today's Christian body and the job of a watchman is still is a very critical job. A watchman is not a fortune teller or soothsayer, they are just reporting what they observe from their vantage point.

Now depending on where you are "on the wall" your vantage point may be different. For example, If you are on the north facing wall looking north, well you can't see what is on the south wall facing south and visa versa.

But if you are a couple hundred yards one way or the other on the wall and the watchman 50 yards away sees something coming, you the watchman that is on the same wall, may have a little better vantage point than the guy 50 yards away. That little distance may make the difference. On the other hand you may only see bellowing clouds coming your way just like the watchman 50 yards away standing with you on the wall.

You both see something coming, but can't really make it out clearly.

Now I hope that you are grasping the picture that I am trying to paint here for you with the whole wall, medieval analogy, and such. It is what I see in my mind when I think of a watchman up on the wall.

2012 presents some interesting issues.

The entire "New Age / pagan / hippie /biblically illiterate" arena has been promoting this Mayan calendar, end of the world thing.

Thing is that those of us who do know God's Word do not have anything to worry about, well we do, but more on that a little later.

See we as born again Christians know how the end of the story because we all have read the book.

Nowhere in scripture does it point to or say that the end of the world is coming and that it is based all on some ancient calendar.

In fact the opposite, instead of the end of the world, we have a triumphant Messiah returning in victory and glory. He will do battle with His enemies and the enemies who have tried to destroy His people, Israel. He will come to fulfill all His promises to the world and depending on which side you are on, either will be a great and wonderful blessing, or your utter demise.

Now here is the watchman on the wall part telling you what I observe from my vantage point.

Several years ago The Barna Group put out a study that showed that only 6% of our nation believes in a biblical world view.

What is a "worldview"?

Your worldview is the pair of imaginary reading glasses that you wear all the time. It is through these glasses that you "filter" what you observe and then how you react based on your observations, filter and worldview.

Another way of looking at what a worldview is what you believe in, or where do you put your faith.

If you put your faith in the Dali Lama, well you will look at the world though those beliefs and faiths that the Dali Lama promotes.

If you put your faith in Allah, Joseph Smith, Gandhi, Maitreya, or who ever. You will base your ideas and actions upon those filters and bias'.

Now an atheist promotes not having a religion but they put their faith in themselves along with the humanists, agnostics, and so forth. Evolution, same thing, just another worldview that you base your ideas and faiths upon.

The 2012 Mayanism Worldview

As I was saying, if you do not have a biblical world view, that means that your ideas, ethics, character and faith is based on something else.

This means that since you are not grounded in the absolute truth, you will basically fall for anything put out there.

That is my concern.

As I have said only 6% of our nation is based on a biblical worldview. That means that 94% is NOT based upon a biblical worldview but some other view that is based upon a lie.

That means that 94% of the US population has the good chance of falling for this whole end of the world stuff that is being promoted and propagated.

NOW… lets be reasonable and say that of that 94%, who do not maintain a biblical worldview, lets be conservative and say only 10%, decides to buy into this whole Mayan calendar 2012 end of the world thing.

It's Math Time!

There are approximately 307,006,550 living in the US based on the latest census that was taken.

If you took 6% of that you would get approximately 18,420,393 people. That is roughly the same population as California's greater Los Angeles area.

That leaves approximately 288,586,157 people.

Now using our conservative estimates of only 10% of those who do not maintain a biblical worldview and are sold out to the whole Mayan 2012 thing with the world literally ending on Dec 21, 2012, that comes to approximately 28,858,615 people.

Now these people are completely sold out thinking that the world will end this coming December. Their worldview is totally guided by these filters. Thus their actions, beliefs, faith ect is all dictated by the world ending Dec 21, 2012.

That is 28 million people who see their life, world, entire existence being terminated on Dec 21, 2012.

Are you beginning to get the picture here?

That is roughly 28 million people who are sold out that their world is going to be no more.

If you had this sort of fatalist doom and gloom worldview, what would you do these last 340 or so days that you have left?

Man left to his own devices has no boundaries on what they will do.

Now, personally I believe that as time gets closer that 10% number is going to grow and more and more people's angst will get the best of them.

That is if they are not grounded in God's Word.

Now how many of those 28 million people are in government today?

How many are in critical roles, CEOs, movers and shakers, people of influence?

How many are literally crazy - 5150 nutcase crazy? (5150 is radio code for a lunatic)

Does the Dali Lama believe in 2012?

How about Opra Winfrey, Ted Turner, Bill Gates, maybe even President Obama?

How are any of these types of people going to react as we get closer to Dec 21, 2012?

It Only Takes 2%

When you look at any great revolution or social changing event, it was only 2% of the whole who lead the charge. Sold to their beliefs, they in turn sell it to the world and because of that, others (the sheeple) have always followed.

Nazi Germany, barely 2% were completely sold out to the Nazi idea, those became the core of the SS. The rest were mindless followers following the other sheep or those driven by greed and power seeking opportunity, the spoils of war, political clout, etc.

It really only takes 2% sold out to a cause to create an effective social change. History has proven that over and over again.

How will this year be changed if only 2% are sold out to Mayanism?

How fast will it sweep our nation?

What will the powers that be do to combat this? Will they do anything?

The Fourth Turning Point

Look at this nation and where we are today.

An EXCELLENT book titled "Generations: The History of America's Future, 1584 to 2069" by Neil Howe and William Strauss is an amazing read.

Here is how Amazon describes the book...

Hailed by national leaders as politically diverse as former Vice President Al Gore and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Generations has been heralded by reviewers as a brilliant, if somewhat unsettling, reassessment of where America is heading.

William Strauss and Neil Howe posit the history of America as a succession of generational biographies, beginning in 1584 and encompassing every-one through the children of today. Their bold theory is that each generation belongs to one of four types, and that these types repeat sequentially in a fixed pattern. The vision of Generations allows us to plot a recurring cycle in American history -- a cycle of spiritual awakenings and secular crises -- from the founding colonists through the present day and well into this millenium.

Source - http://amzn.com/0688119123

The basic theory in this book is a simple one: simply look at how American generations behave as they age? When you do that, as Strauss and Howe have pointed out, you find that American generations behave with a certain consistency throughout their lives.

Thing is that this is not just an American behavior, it is called "Generational Dynamics" In this all major societies throughout history cycle through four major societal processes; Austerity, Awakening, Unraveling, and Crisis. (1)

This is what my good friend Jack Kinsella has written his latest article about as well. The title of that is "2012 -- The End of the World As We Know It?"

In this he talks about the follow-up book that Howe and Strauss wrote titled "The Fourth Turning Point - An American Prophecy."

What I find amazing is that here are two secular historians conducting trends research throughout the centuries.

But what they do not totally grasp, well maybe they dom but I am not sure is that what they promote as theory is also biblical fact.

See time is not liner as so many believe. Time is ciclical or circular. Scripture is very clear on this and it is Solomon who said…

Ecc 1:9 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

Here is a great graphic that illustrates this idea.

The following is a picture of the generational cycles of "Awakening" and "Crisis" I think you will be amazed.

As I have often mentioned, it is believed that our nation entered into the time of crisis around 2005 / 2006. We are now 6-7 years into the crisis cycle and we have yet to peak.

What do I mean?

Every time of crisis has its peak. It is the turning point where that period of time starts moving from Crisis to the cycle of Awakening. (look at the above chart.)

Here are examples:

• War of the Roses Crisis- 1459-1487; Peak 1485
• The Armada Crisis - 1569 - 1594; Peaks 1588
• The American Revolution Crisis 1773 - 1794; Peaks 1781
• The Civil War Crisis - 1860-1865; Peaks 1863
• The Great Depression / WWII Crisis - 1929-1946 Peaks 1944 (2)

We entered our "crisis" period in or around 2005 - 2006. We have not reached our peak of the crisis yet.

When you look at what is taking place in the world and what scripture says, we know that no one can know the exact date of the rapture. So based on that we need to be spiritually prepared for his return at any moment and physically prepared to withstand in the event that He tarries for a while.

Why Might He Tarry?

1 - Over 1/3 of the world still has no idea who God is, Jesus or any knowledge of God's Word. We are told in scripture that our job of sharing the gospel is done when the "fullness of the Gentiles" takes place.

Scripture says…

Romans 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

We have not been doing our job and in fact we have been slack in this area.

2 - We also know that the Lord is not slack and that he wants man to come to him. His Word supports that our job here on earth is not finished. We have many many people who do not know the Gospel.

In 2 Peter 3:9 we are told that God is "longsuffering" so that "any should perish" and that all should come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

3 - God is The Creator of the universe and of man. He is also the author of time and space. His Word clearly states that man will continue to repeat himself over and over again. Looking at the cycles of man, the tribulation and the battle of Armageddon fall completely within the generational cycles. It does because God created us and He created the way we "tick". We keep repeating ourselves because of the fall in the garden and because it is in our sin nature.

Scripture says…

Ecclesiastes 1:9-11 The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

Folks, I am so ready to go home, right here right now. What we need to remember is that God is going to come for His church at His own timing.

But in the mean time looking a what I have presented you I believe that we need to prepare ourselves for hard times. Not only does history back this up, so does God's Word.

So many people are looking to the next future president to make the difference. Who ever the next president is, nothing will change. They will continue with the same globalist Luciferian policies that have been put in place by Bush, Clinton, Bush and now Obama. They have all been cut from the same bolt of Luciferian cloth, and two sides of the same coin.

We know this because that is what Scripture tells us. The world will rally behind a charismatic individual who will force man to either choose him, the antichrist, or choose Jesus Christ, the true Savior of the World.

So it is coming, but it is not here yet.

We still have a chance to make a difference in this nation. It will not be who we elect, the laws that we pass, or the technology we create.

The ONLY thing that will change the course of this nation is one thing and one thing only. That is the sharing of the Gospel and the repentance of Man.

You want to know the answer?

Scripture says…

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

But I do not see America doing this and this is my 4th point.

We want and yearn to go home, but we ourselves are slowing down the fulness of the gentiles by not doing what God's Word commands us to do…

Matthew 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

So what I recommend is that you start building your ark, just as Noah did so that when the time comes, you are able to stand and boldly proclaim the gospel. Instead of being trapped and dependent upon a system ruled by crooks, thieves and luciferians hell bent on ushering in their leader.. the Antichrist.

So, who do you serve.. Mammon or Jesus Christ, the King of Kings?

See, It will be your actions that will produce your fruit; (Matthew 7:20) or the lack there of, for we know that faith without action (works) is dead.

Me? I say … NO KING BUT KING JESUS!!

Joshua 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

By Ray Gano

Endnotes

1- 2012 -- The End of the World As We Know It? By Jack Kinsella

2- The Fourth Turning: An American Prophecy by Neil Howe and William Strauss

Graphic "The Anglo-American Saeculum" from : The Fourth Turning: An American Prophecy by Neil Howe and William Strauss, Published by Broadway Books - Page 50.

The Effects of Another Middle East War

Folks, today the news is teaming with information that makes it really appear that the Middle East is ramping up for war.

Can you imagine the effects of another Middle East war? Think about what will be effected globally.

In fact do you know we are still feeling the effects of the Six Day War?

The Six-Day War

(Hebrew: מלחמת ששת הימים, Milhemet Sheshet Ha Yamim - Arabic: حرب الأيام الستة, ħarb al ayyam as sitta ;), also known as the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, the Third Arab-Israeli War, Six Days' War, an Naksah (The Setback), or the June War, was fought between Israel and its Arab neighbours Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Algeria also contributed troops and arms to the Arab forces. In the months before June 1967, Egypt expelled the United Nations Emergency Force from the Sinai Peninsula, increased its military activity near the border, blockaded the Straits of Tiran to Israeli ships, and called for unified Arab action against Israel. In June 1967, Israel launched a pre-emptive attack on Egypt's airforce fearing an imminent invasion by Egypt. Jordan then attacked the Israeli cities of Jerusalem and Netanya., At the war's end, Israel had gained control of the Gaza Strip, the Sinai Peninsula, the West Bank, and the Golan Heights. The results of the war affect the geopolitics of the region to this day. (1)

The Yom Kippur War

Ramadan War or October War (Hebrew: מלחמת יום הכיפורים; transliterated: Milkhemet Yom HaKipurim or מלחמת יום כיפור, Milkhemet Yom Kipur; Arabic: حرب أكتوبر; transliterated: ħarb October or حرب تشرين, ħarb Tishrin), also known as the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and the Fourth Arab-Israeli War, was fought from October 6 to October 26, 1973, between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria. The war began with a surprise joint attack by Egypt and Syria on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. Egypt and Syria crossed the cease-fire lines in the Sinai and Golan Heights, respectively, which had been captured by Israel in 1967 during the Six-Day War.

The Egyptians and Syrians advanced during the first 24–48 hours, after which momentum began to swing in Israel's favor. By the second week of the war, the Syrians had been pushed entirely out of the Golan Heights. In the Sinai to the south, the Israelis struck at the "seam" between two invading Egyptian armies, crossed the Suez Canal (where the old ceasefire line had been), and cut off the Egyptian third army just as a United Nations cease-fire came into effect. (2)

If you remember back in the 1970’s the US as well as any other country that supported Israel, suffered the OPEC Oil Embargo. At the time, gas prices jumped, gas was then rationed and you could only fill up your car on “odd” or “even” days based upon your license plate number.

Here it the US, we went to a year round day light savings time pushing all of the clocks one hour a head.

US automakers were jumping through hoops to make a better more fuel efficient car. Oil companies and energy providers were searching out alternative fuel and energy sources.

The “Central Banks” (Aka Fed Reserve) decided to sharply cut interest rates to encourage growth, deciding that inflation was a secondary concern. This was a horrible decision because it whip lashed the economy into some of the largest interest rates ever. Remember the outrageous interest rates just for home loans?

Now reflect on the 2006 Lebanon War, what did we see from that? Are we still suffering the consequences of that war?

I know one thing is that gas prices skyrocketed and never came down.

Fast forward to today, we are now looking at $3.19 a gallon. That is pricing here in Texas, in other areas it is more. Do you really think that we will see these prices ever go down? I bet there are some of you saying right now as you read this, “Well it will go down to $2.50 - $2.75 a gallon again.” Do you realize what that is costing us?

Folks, I was paying .99 cents a gallon in 2000.

And all these Sunday Morning financial good ol boys say there is no inflation?

The snowball is going to start rolling down hill here very soon. With it will be the inflation of much of what we consume daily.

Why are you pointing all of these things out; and what does it have to do with Bible Prophecy?

Revelation 6:5-6 (KJV) And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

I have stated many times that the antichrist’s kingdom will not pop up over night. The foundations need to be laid and systems put in place.

I point out all of this because things are bad and will not be getting any better. We know this based upon God’s Word and the study of Bible Prophecy. Again, read Revelations 6.

Presented with the facts of today we can clearly see that the Middle East is preparing for war. Iran, Turkey, Egypt are really posturing. Just look at Iran's war games in the straits of Hormuz and what a "buzz" that is causing.

It is not a matter of “IF” but a matter of “WHEN”

I personally think that the “when” will be a lot sooner. Man’s nature is towards greed, power and sin. The islamofascists have their fingers on the trigger and they are doing all that they can to hold themselves back.

If Iran gets nukes, which most likely she will have very soon if she does not have already, it isn't Israel that Iran will hit.

Iran is going to bomb Saudi Arabia.

I mean think about this for a moment. First of all, nowhere in scripture do we see Iran nuking Israel or any middle east country for that fact.

Do you know that Iran and much of the Middle East hates Saudi Arabia more than they hate Israel?

This is a hard fact and this is one reason why the US is sending arms and equipment to Saudi Arabia.

This is also why Saudi Arabia has been seeking Israel's help through back channel meetings.

Saudi Arabia is scared to death that Iran is going to wipe them off the face of the earth.

And Iran is more than willing to do it too, all in the name of bringing forth the Maudi, Islam's Messiah. The same person who I believe will be the Antichrist.

Let's look at this for a moment.

Iran has three sworn enemies.

• Israel
• America
• Saudi Arabia

They hate Israel because their Koran tells them to do this.

They hate America because we side with Israel and they see us as Christians. The Koran also tells them to war with Christians, kill us, enslave us, persecute us.

But they also hate Saudi Arabia because of all the debauchery and shame the Saudi famiily has brought upon Islam.

It is in Saudi Arabia where Mecca and Medina are located and according to much of the Middle East, Islam's holiest places need to be freed from the sin and shame Saudi Arabia has presented all these years.

Now here is the key point I want to make.

Iran and much of the Middle East knows that if they take out Saudi Arabia, the US will fall as well.

By taking out Saudi Arabia, they are getting what I a call a "two-fer" deal. They are taking out the scorge of the Middle East and the Great Satan all with one blow.

About 25% of the US's oil comes from Saudi Arabia. That is why she is so critical to our security.

If Saudi Arabia falls, we will fall as well.

Think gas prices are bad now, imagine if 25% of our oil supply was taken out. It would literally bring this nation to a standstill and throw this nation into major chaos.

But there is more.

Enter The 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)

We as bible believing Christians are in the minority. Problems are coming down the road and yes, we as Christians will be the ones blamed for all the worlds’ woes too.

It is already taking place and what is horrifying is the recent passing of the ‘Indefinite Detention’ Bill (NDAA), it has opened up the military detaining US Citizens with our or the procedures given to us by the constitution.

Simply put, the doors of the Gulag are now open thanks to both Republicans, Democrats and our illustrious President. So please do not feed me garbage on how much Republicans love this country when many of them voted to create these prison camps.

Sure this has been put in place for "Domestic terrorists" but clearly the Dept of Homeland Security views conservative bible believing Christians who also stand on bible prophecy as potential domestic terrorists. Add former military vets, preppers/survivalists, and those who believe and stand upon the constitution.

People and nations are becoming more tolerant towards Islam, new age, paganism and eastern practices. They are also becoming adamantly against Christianity. In fact they hate us just for who we are and who we serve. This in and of itself is bible prophecy coming to pass.

Very soon another Middle East war will take place. It will grind our nation as well as much of the west to a halt. Odds are that Christians will be blamed for all of this.

Now in the middle of all this chaos, the great thing is that we as Christians will have a chance to share the gospel. People will still turn to God in times of trouble no matter what.

How many people will see the truth in God’s Word and then come to the saving grace of His salvation?

Here is the key question.

How many of us are prepared and positioned to share the gospel in a time such as that?

A Middle East war involving Syria, Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia will have global ramifications in many sectors. Trade and commerce will come to a drastic slow down due to cause and effect of such an event.

Can you fully realize the global cause and effects that comes into play if the Middle East goes to war with Saudi Arabia?

Even if the destruction of Damascus takes place as many think, Iran is still going to take out Saudi Arabia because with one strike Iran can do away with her enemies, Israel, the US and Saudia Arabia, thus freeing Islam's holiest areas Mecca & Medina.

I ask again, how many of us are prepared and positioned to share the gospel in events such as this?

But here is a question more horrifying…

How many out there still have their head buried in the sand and are not positioned to survive the coming storm?

More to come soon…

By Ray Gano

Endnotes

1 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six-Day_War

2 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wi

Proverbs 3:5-6 - The Third Party Rule

 Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  6  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

As many of you know, Proverbs 3:5-6 is Tracye and I's life verse. We often refer to it as "the third party rule."
Why is that?
Because when you have done all you reasonably can about a situation, the only thing left is to put it into God's Hands and then walk away.

It is called "trusting in the Lord."

In these days of being "purpose driven" and our "living our right lives now,"  trusting in the Lord has become a forgotten truth that I believe many need to relearn.

See, often we toil with daily trials when in reality we have a father in heaven who will take care of stuff for us.
Now am I talking about some sugar daddy in the sky? No, not at all.

I am one who believes in doing the best you can with what the Lord has provided for you, but when you have hit the end of your limited abilities, then the Lord is there to take matters over and make them right again.

We are coming into some hard times here in the US and things are going to get worse before they get better. I think it is important that we start stepping back from the world, and start surrounding ourselves with the things and ways of the Lord. The only way that we are going to survive the coming storm is to learn to get back to the simple things in life.

See when we are living a simple life the enemy does not have us rushing around for this, that and other things. It is like we have the time to smell the roses and take in all the blessings God has provided for us.

The more we are able to "trust in the Lord and lean not on our own understanding" the more life is easier and the stress is melted away.

This past month or so has really been trying here at the Gano home. We have been coming under some major attach from just about every direction. But through all of this we have trusted in the Lord to see us through and to also direct our paths.

We are not out of the woods yet and yes bills are piling up. But in all of this we know that God will provide, all we need to do is "trust in the lord with all our heart and lean not on our own understanding."

Want a rich life with little stress?

Make Proverbs 3:5-6 your life verse and truly live it daily. It will make a huge difference in your life. It has for Tracye and I, I know He will do it for you too.

Take that step of faith and just Trust Him. You will be glad you did.




By Ray Gano